I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1622 

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce restrictions on media 

ownership, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 13, 2005 

Mr. STEARNS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce 

restrictions on media ownership, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Broadcast Ownership 

5 for the 21st Century Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CROSS-OWNERSHIP LIMITATIONS. 

7 (a) RULE CHANGES REQUIRED.—The Federal Com8 munications Commission shall modify section 73.3555 of 

9 its regulations (47 CFR 73.3555) by eliminating any pro10 visions limiting the granting or renewal of an AM or FM 
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1 radio or television broadcast station license to any party 

2 (including parties under common control) on the basis of 

3 the ownership, operation, or control by such party of a 

4 daily newspaper. 

5 (b) DEADLINE FOR ACTIONS.—The Federal Commu6 nications Commission shall complete all actions necessary 

7 to complete the modifications required by this section 

8 within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

9 SEC. 3. TELEVISION MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP. 

10 Section 310 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 

11 U.S.C. 310) is amended by adding at the end the following 

12 new subsection: 

13 ‘‘(f) NATIONAL AUDIENCE REACH CALCULATION.— 

14 In calculating the national audience reach limitations for 

15 television stations under the Commission’s regulations, 

16 UHF television stations shall be attributed with no more 

17 than 50 percent of the television households in their mar18 ket.’’. 

19 SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COM20 MISSION AUTHORITY. 

21 (a) AMENDMENT.—Section 202(c)(1)(B) of the Tele22 communications Act of 1996 is amended by striking ‘‘39 

23 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘45 percent’’. 

24 (b) DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Federal 

25 Communications Commission shall amend its regulations 
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1 to implement the amendment made by subsection (a) with2 in 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. In 

3 amending such regulations, the Commission shall not re4 vise section 73.3555(e)(2)(i) of its regulations (47 CFR 

5 73.3555(e)(2)(i)). 

6 SEC. 5. MULTIPLE TELEVISION STATION OWNERSHIP. 

7 (a) LOCAL TELEVISION MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP

8 RULE CHANGES REQUIRED.—The Federal Communica9 tions Commission shall revise its rule for local television 

10 multiple ownership set forth in section 73.3555(b) of its 

11 regulations (47 CFR 73.3555(b)) to permit a person or 

12 entity to directly or indirectly own, operate, or control two 

13 television stations in the same designated market area if— 

14 (1) the grade B contours of such stations do 

15 not overlap; or 

16 (2) the grade B contours of such stations do 

17 overlap and at least 6 independent broadcast or 

18 cable television voices would remain in the des19 ignated market area after the transfer of ownership, 

20 operation, or control of the license of the stations in 

21 question. 

22 (b) INDEPENDENT VOICES.—In making the revision 

23 required by subsection (a), the Commission shall deter24 mine the number of independent broadcast or cable tele25 vision voices that would remain as follows: 
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1 (1) BROADCAST TELEVISION STATIONS.—Each 

2 independently owned and operating full power broad3 cast television station within the designated market 

4 area shall be counted as one independent voice. 

5 (2) ONE CABLE SYSTEM COUNTED.—Regardless 

6 of how many individual cable systems operate in the 

7 designated market area, if cable television is gen8 erally available to households in the area, cable tele9 vision shall be treated as one independent voice. 

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