Court Blocks Loosened FCC Media Limits

This is good news for those of us who don't want to see the media owned by a select few companies. A US Appeals Court today blocked new FCC rules that would've allowed companies to own more television stations and radio stations than they're presently allowed to.

The FCC will have to demonstrate why the rules won't harm competition. Unless they do, they will not be able to own more than one television station in a city, or both a newspaper and TV or radio station in a city.

There are exceptions like Journal Communications here in Milwaukee. They own the local NBC affiliate, an FM and AM radio station, and the daily newspaper. However, they were grandfathered in decades ago before these rules took effect.