Written Statement of 
Deborah Taylor Tate
Commissioner 
Federal Communications Commission
Hearing on 
Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission:  
Media Ownership
Before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
Committee on Energy and Commerce
United States House of Representatives
December 5, 2007
Summary of Written Testimony of Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate
Since arriving at the Federal Communications Commission in January 2006, I 
have considered hundreds of issues.  Our decisions on some of these, such as media 
ownership, will be among the most historically significant the Commission will make.  
Since October 2006, we have held open public hearings across the entire country 
 literally from sea to shining sea  to provide an opportunity for thousands of American 
citizens to have unprecedented access to a governmental body about the role media plays 
in their lives, and their opinion regarding ownership of media outlets.  Over my 20-plus 
years of public service  at all levels of government  I cannot remember a single time 
that an agency expended this much institutional energy and investment on an issue, or 
was this open and thorough regarding a matter of public interest.   
Like many of you, I consider myself an avid consumer of news  from industry 
trade publications to local and national newspapers, from my hometown paper, The 
Tennessean, to the New York Times, from CNN clips to other online news sites, and 
tools such as alerts that are set to my personal news preferences.  But my list of news 
sources pales in comparison to the number of sources accessed by many of our citizens, 
particularly the younger generation.    
I share many commenters concerns about the negative impact media can have, 
from extreme violence to exceedingly coarse language, to the impact on childhood 
obesity.  I also continue to be troubled by the statistics regarding the disappointingly low 
rates of female and minority ownership we see in the media industry.   
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and working with you on these and many 
other important issues facing the Commission, Congress, and our nation.
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER DEBORAH TAYLOR TATE
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
December 5, 2007
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, it is an honor to appear before you 
today as a member of the Federal Communications Commission.  Since arriving at the 
Commission in January 2006, there have been hundreds of issues before us  some 
ministerial, yet even though those are important to parties who are affected; others of 
national and even international significance  which foster competition, encourage 
innovation and help ensure our global competitiveness for years to come.  A few of the 
issues before the Commission have received more attention than others, perhaps because 
of the public nature of the deliberative process surrounding them and their lasting impact.  
From the remand of our media ownership rules, to coordinating with the industry for a 
successful DTV Transition, from our fiscal responsibility in managing spectrum 
allocation for new and innovative services, to encouraging the nationwide deployment of 
broadband, especially as it relates to the interoperability of our public safety services, all 
of these have been at the top of our agenda since I arrived.  These decisions will be
among the most historically significant the Commission will make and therefore should 
command your attention as well as the publics.  We are here today to seek and listen to 
your input on one of these in particular  media ownership.
Since October 2006, we have held open public hearings across the entire country:  
Los Angeles and El Segundo, California; Tampa, Florida; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; 
Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington and I was so glad to welcome my colleagues to
Belmont University in my hometown of Nashville.  These lengthy hearings  literally 
from sea to shining sea  provided an opportunity for thousands of American citizens to 
have unprecedented access to a governmental body about the role media plays in their 
lives and their opinion regarding ownership of media outlets.  Over my 20-plus years of 
public service  at all levels of government  I cannot remember a single time that an 
agency expended this much institutional energy and investment on an issue, or was this 
open and thorough regarding a matter of public interest.  We invited comment not only
from the general public, but also from expert panels of economists; TV, radio, and film 
producers; musicians; directors; professors; students; small and large TV and radio 
broadcasters, and community organizations.  During the roughly year and a half of on-
going hearings, we also arranged for ten media studies by experts  preeminent
economists, academics, and researchers  and also released all of those studies for public 
comment and peer review.  
Never before has so much competition existed for the eyes and ears of American 
consumers of news and information, wherever, whenever, and however, over any device
they may choose.  This competition is cross-platform, and it includes newspapers and 
broadcasters, of course, but also cable, satellite and wireline networks and, increasingly, 
mobile networks. And as more platforms offer access to the Internet, the breadth of our 
sources only expands.  
Like many of you, I consider myself an avid consumer of news  from industry 
trade publications to local and national newspapers, from my hometown paper, The 
Tennessean, to the New York Times, from CNN clips to other online news sites, and 
tools such as alerts that are set to my personal news preferences.  But my list of news 
sources pales in comparison to the number of sources accessed by many of our citizens, 
particularly the younger generation.   
I have said it countless times, but I want to reiterate it again today.  We must 
structure our media ownership rules to account for the needs not just of our generation, 
but of the next generation.  The I-Generation, as they are often called, lives in an online 
world, with access to local, national, and international news sources we could only have 
dreamed of at their ages.  
I share many commenters concerns about the negative impact media can have, 
from extreme violence to exceedingly coarse language, to the impact on childhood 
obesity.  I also continue to be troubled by the statistics regarding the disappointingly low 
rates of female and minority ownership we see in the media industry.  During my tenure 
at the Commission, I have tried not merely to talk about the issues, but to work with 
others to find solutions, both inside and outside the Commission, which could have a 
positive impact.  Over the past year, I participated in the NAB Education Foundation
series for women and minorities who are interested in purchasing and operating a local 
broadcast station; I attended the Hispanic Broadcasters Association Financing and 
Capitalization Seminar; and I have worked with the National Association of Black 
Owned Broadcasters at other outreach events. At these events, when women and 
minority broadcasters discuss challenges they face, financing is always at the top of the 
list.  This is true with those who are just starting out, and those who have been in the 
industry for years.  I am very pleased that the Commission is presently considering a 
number of proposals to assist women and minorities, specifically with both capital and 
debt financing.  In addition, I have offered to lend my support to an annual conference to 
partner potential financiers with broadcasters to discuss investment opportunities. 
Another recommendation before the Commission is allowing minority and women 
broadcasters to purchase expiring construction permits, and giving them the duration of 
the permit, or 18 months, to complete construction.  Finally, we continue to discuss 
changing the Equity-Debt Plus (EDP) attribution rule so that investors concerns with 
ownership limits will not prevent them from making investments they would otherwise 
consider.  
Let there be no doubt that women  many of whom are also African-American 
are indeed succeeding in this industry.  Look for example at Cathy Hughes, founder and 
chairperson of Radio One/TV One, Inc., the largest African-American-owned and 
operated broadcast company in the United States, or Susan Davenport Austin, Vice 
President and Treasurer of Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation, which manages the only 
African-American-owned national radio network.  And then there is Caroline Beasley,
Executive Vice President and CFO of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., the 18th largest 
radio broadcasting company in the country, and Susan Patrick, co-owner Legend 
Communications, who has been in the media brokerage business for more than 20 years.
I hope that we will employ every possible avenue to have a more positive impact on the 
diversity of both voices and ownership.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and working with you on these and many 
other important issues facing the Commission, Congress, and our nation.