Supporting diversity in media ownership by urging the Federal Communications Commission to protect and preserve its ban on cross-ownership of print and electronic media, and by urging the Congress to exercise its oversight in the area of federal communications policy by holding public hearings on media ownership issues, and by enacting legislation to prohibit further media consolidation.

WHEREAS, Freedom of the press and public access to diverse media are prerequisites for a functioning democracy; and

WHEREAS, The broadcast airwaves are owned commonly by the public, and should be managed to serve the public interest; and

WHEREAS, The public interest is best served by the availability of a broadly diverse range of viewpoints; and

WHEREAS, Media diversity is seriously threatened by further consolidation of media ownership in an already highly concentrated market; and

WHEREAS, Deregulation of radio ownership rules under the Telecommunications Act caused unprecedented consolidation, dramatically decreasing competition; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission is currently considering an unprecedented rollback of media ownership regulations, including but not limited to

rules which forbid companies from owning newspapers and TV stations -- or TV and radio stations -- in the same media market, and rules barring firms from owning TV stations that reach more than 35 percent of the nation; and

WHEREAS, The elimination or weakening of these regulations would further reduce competition, local accountability, diversity of content and voices, and the amount and quality of news coverage in broadcast and print media across the country, while providing windfall profits for a small handful of corporate media owners;

now therefore

RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it urges the Federal Communications Commission to protect and preserve its rules banning cross-ownership of electronic and print media, and regulations that limit the number of stations one owner may hold; and

RESOLVED FURTHER

,

That the Council urges the Congress to exercise its oversight powers relating to federal communications policy through public hearings on media ownership issues, and to enact legislation prohibiting further media consolidation; and

FURTHER RESOLVED,

That a true and correct copy of this resolution be presented to all members of Philadelphia’s congressional delegation as the true and sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End