media consolidation

With deregulation in vogue again, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is poised to revamp the commission’s ownership rules. My suggestion is he should adopt the NAB’s proposal to allow common ownership of multiple stations in all markets, but only two Big Four network affiliates. If he can, he should also set a new, higher coverage cap that makes no distinction between V’s and U’s after a lot of input on what that cap should be.

When 21st Century Fox and Time Warner Inc. report earnings results for the June quarter on Wednesday, the media companies won’t just be detailing their operating performance, according to The Wall Street Journal. Each one will be making a case — however subtle — for why it should prevail in the great media-industry merger battle of 2014. Fox and Time Warner will be among several major media companies announcing quarterly results this week, including Viacom Inc., CBS Corp. and Walt Disney Co. WSJ subscribers can read the full story here.

The Seattle Times editorializes: “Lax FCC enforcement makes a mockery of regulatory intent to preserve and promote competition, localism and diversity of viewpoints in local TV news. Case in point: Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ownership of KOMO Seattle.”