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July 23, 2003—Today U.S. Representative Trent Franks joined 16 Republicans and five Democrats in opposing an attempt to restrict the market options of the broadcast media. In a vote of 400-21, the House passed HR 2799, the FY2004 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill. The bill includes a provision to prohibit funds in the bill to grant licenses for a commercial television broadcast station if the granting of that license would result in having a national audience reach exceeding 35 percent. This is an override of the Federal Communications Commission’s recent decision to place the ownership cap at 45 percent.
“I believe Congress should support the FCC’s decision to let consumers control the broadcast market,” Franks said. “The FCC’s ownership cap of 45% is not radical, since it is a measurement of potential audience reach, not actual viewing households. It is not our place to further regulate mass media when American families, and their viewing choices, can better control the market.”
With over 300 channels in the marketplace today, and over 50 percent of them owned by independent programmers, households within the 45 percent national TV cap can still receive their news and information from a variety of television sources. The actual prime time viewing of the top four broadcast networks—Viacom (2.2%), Fox (2.03%), NBC (1.69%), and ABC (.581%)—has been on the decrease.
The Bush administration has issued a veto threat on legislation that would reverse the FCC ruling.
“The vote today represents an attempt to stifle media ownership options,” Franks said. “I stand with the President in his unwavering position to let market forces, and not the federal government, control the broadcast market.”
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