FCC Unveils Media Ownership Studies; Democrats Seek More Detail
The FCC’s unveiling of 10 media ownership studies drew fire for being vague on methodology, cost and choice of researchers in what Comr. Adelstein said he fears will be hurried research. A Wed. public notice listed studies the Commission will underwrite on independently produced TV, minority roles in industry, local news, station-newspaper cross ownership, radio programming and other topics. The announcement raises “more questions… than it answers,” said Adelstein and Comr. Copps in separate comments. Two professors hired to run some of the studies refused to say what the FCC is paying them.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
Released on the eve of Thanksgiving Wed., the “unilateral” announcement “undermines the public’s confidence,” Adelstein said in a written statement: “The truncated period of time to complete [some] studies is an ingredient for a study that doesn’t engender public faith.” Research on independent programmers is due before March, said U. of Chicago Economics Prof. Austan Goolsbee. He’s waiting for data from the Commission, he said, as did Duke U. Economics Prof. Arie Beresteanu.
Goolsbee will study how independent producers, and cable networks that are the only ones their parent companies own, get their programming carried, he said: “Is it difficult and how much more difficult is it for them to get their content on TV than [for] the content providers that are owned by vertically integrated companies?” Beresteanu will study minority ownership with Duke colleague Paul Ellickson. Other research will be by Santa Clara U.’s Allen Hammond and Cal. State U.-Sacramento’s Barbara O'Connor, the FCC public notice said: “These two studies will examine levels of minority ownership of media companies and barriers to entry.” Beresteanu said it’s too early to say exactly what he will examine.
FCC officials sought research proposals from Beresteanu and Goolsbee, the academics said. Chief Economist Michelle Connolly, a Duke prof., called Beresteanu, he said. He said the FCC will underwrite expenses such as research assistance, declining to give his budget. The FCC wouldn’t say what it’s paying for each study. The Commission has said it will spend $200,000 total on research in its review of ownership rules remanded to it by 3rd U.S. Appeals Court, Philadelphia (CD June 22 p11).
“The Commission followed the federal contracting rules on all contracted studies,” an FCC official said. FCC officials got input from all commissioners before compiling the list of research, said a Media Bureau spokeswoman.
Vagueness on FCC outlays irked a media activist. “I'm extremely unhappy to hear that they will not disclose that information,” Media Access Pres. Andrew Schwartzman said: “Taxpayers are entitled to know that under any circumstances.” Other contractors include Nielsen and CRA International, an economics and business research company. CRA Vp Tasneem Chipty will review radio station ownership and programming. She couldn’t be reached by our deadline. Nielsen will study how people get news.
Three other studies will be done by FCC staffers. They will examine the link between news and ownership of radio, TV and newspapers; how cable, DBS, the Web and broadcasters have changed since the last FCC ownership review in 2003; and radio station formats and financing. A Univ. of Ariz. professor will examine local news, public affairs, kids TV and family programming, and a U. of Mo. academic will look at cross-ownership. An FCC official declined to say when the study results will be made public.