[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 161 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         RADIO STATION MERGERS

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, during the course of the last 
several months, the number of broadcast radio station transactions has 
increased due to the liberalized station ownership provisions contained 
in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. However, with this increase in 
transactions has come an increased concern that, in authorizing these 
assignments, the FCC may try to impose terms and conditions on the 
assignors or assignees neither contained in, nor intended by, the 1996 
act.
  Radio mergers must be permitted to go forward when they satisfy the 
requirements under the plain meaning of the statute. While the Senate 
is in adjournment, I expect the FCC to follow the law, not rewrite it, 
when they review radio station mergers.
  Given the number of broadcast media outlets available today, 
traditional concerns about how mergers affect viewpoint diversity are 
greatly mitigated. This is especially true because, in addition to 
traditional broadcast media outlets, various multichannel video 
programming services and online services over the Internet, as well as 
nonbroadcast media outlets like magazines and newspapers, are available 
in today's market.
  In light of these facts, Mr. President, the FCC should not block 
sensible radio mergers or approve them only with additional, 
unwarranted terms and conditions attached.

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