In the realm of broadcast television and radio, the FCC grants broadcast licenses — free of charge — to TV and radio stations in exchange for stations' agreement to serve their communities' needs. The FCC has the power to fine stations or revoke licenses if the stations violate FCC rules.
The FCC also regulates media ownership, including how many stations one company can own in each market and the cross-ownership of different sectors, such as broadcast stations and daily newspapers.
The FCC does not pass laws. The FCC issues regulations and enforces laws enacted by Congress. Congress can overrule an FCC regulation through law, but this is uncommon.
The current commissioners for the FCC are:
Chairman Kevin Martin, a Republican, has served as a commissioner since 2001. He was named chairman by President Bush in March 2005, following the departure of Michael Powell. As Chairman, Martin has suggested he plans to change broadcast ownership rules, yet has not revealed his strategy. In 2003, he voted for weakened ownership rules alongside Powell.
Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat, has served as a commissioner since 2001. Copps actively opposed the ownership rule changes in 2003 and worked to ensure that the public's voice was heard. Since joining the FCC, Copps has supported public participation in media policy debates. Along with Commissioner Adelstein, he has appeared at public hearings across the country to get public input on FCC decisions.
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, a Democrat, has served as a commissioner since 2002. Adelstein opposed the attempts to weaken broadcast ownership rules in 2003, traveling with Commissioner Copps across the country to get input from citizens on the proposed rule changes.
Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, a Republican, was sworn in as a commissioner in January 2006. Her position on ownership rules is not yet public. She has stated that "consumer welfare" should be the centerpiece of broadcast ownership, but expresses discomfort with "restraining the market power" of "increasingly hypothetical monopolists." This could signal support for weakening these crucial regulations.
Commissioner Robert McDowell, a Republican, was sworn in as a commissioner in June 2006. A former lobbyist for Comptel (a trade group that represents smaller phone companies that compete with the likes of AT&T and Verizon), he has spent the past 15 years lobbying Congress and the FCC. His position on media ownership is unknown, although he says he is for "private sector solutions over government intervention whenever possible."
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The marriage of Comcast and NBC is bad news for consumers. But Washington and Wall Street have already bought into the idea that it's a done deal. That's why Americans need to speak out now and stop the mega-merger!
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