Opposing FCC Media Ownership Rules

Floor Speech

Opposing FCC Media Ownership Rules

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman JAY INSLEE, for his work on opposing the FCC's media ownership rules and for arranging time to bring this issue to the House floor this evening.

I was proud to cosponsor his resolution, H.J. Res. 79, a resolution to disapprove of the Federal Communications Commission's media ownership rules.

The FCC has neglected to deal with the crisis in minority ownership. Only 44 of the more than 1,200 TV stations are owned by people of color. The situation is particularly dire for the African American community. The number of African American owners has dropped 60 percent from 2006 to 2007. There are only eight TV stations in this country owned by African Americans.

Unfortunately, the FCC's vote last December to lift the newspaper broadcast cross-ownership rules would take direct aim at minority broadcast owners. According to the FCC, the new rule allows a newspaper to buy a television station in our Nation's largest markets if the outlet is ranked outside the top four.

There are at least two problems with the rule: One, it is not what it appears to be. The new rule contains loopholes that will allow for greater consolidation in potentially every market in this country. Second, nearly half of all minority-owned stations operate in the top 20 markets and all are ranked outside the top four. This would make them a target for acquisition and make it harder for people of color to purchase stations in larger markets. This is unacceptable.

The FCC seems not to care about the state of minority ownership. In fact, the FCC has no idea how many stations are actually owned by people of color because the Commission has failed to keep track of their own data. The only reason I'm able to cite statistics on minority ownership is due to the diligent work of a nonprofit group to conduct an accurate census and do the work the FCC should have conducted itself.

Last year, the FCC conducted several ownership studies prior to its December vote but failed to count 69 percent of minority-owned TV stations and 75 percent of female-owned stations. The failure of the FCC to properly address the crisis in minority ownership is stunning, since the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in 2004 chastised the FCC for its failure to address the issue of minority ownership the last time it attempted to allow for further media consolidation.

The lack of minority ownership and minority representation has real consequences for our society. It is no wonder many feel the media continues to marginalize people of color, causing our communities great harm.

There has been too much incompetency from independent regulatory agencies during the 8 years of the Bush administration. This lack of accountability has to stop, and I'm so proud of the millions of Americans who have spoken out through the years and have said ``no'' to media consolidation. This is especially true in the 35th Congressional District, where my constituents have fought so hard to block the deal between KTLA and the Los Angeles Times newspaper. On behalf of my constituents, I filed a brief in the continuing litigation to oppose the merger of these two giants that would have the effect of silencing the voices of many of my constituents.

It is going to be because of the many individual voices for free speech and diversity that we are going to continue to hold the FCC accountable for serving the public interest needs of the American people.

I promise I will continue to fight on and to fight for a media system that strengthens our democracy instead of weakening it.

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