Rep. Maurice Hinchey of New York introduced a bill on Tuesday that would repeal the FCC’s rewrite of media ownership rules. The bill would also eliminate the Congressional requirement that the FCC hold a biannual review of media ownership rules, which triggered the FCC’s rewrite last year.
According to radioandrecords.com, Hinchey’s bill also,
“aims to prevent any single company from owning more than 5% of the nation’s radio stations (Clear Channel already owns about 9%). It would also set ‘reasonable limits’ on the percentage of stations one entity can control in a single market.”
Although the bill looks good, I have doubts about how much traction it will find in the House, given Speaker Hastert’s absolute refusal to allow any media ownership bills to make it to the floor for a vote.
Many bills are written, very few are passed.