I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4835 

To promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules 

by the Federal Communications Commission, and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of women and minorities in broadcast media ownership. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2007 

Mr. INSLEE (for himself and Mr. REICHERT) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To promote transparency in the adoption of new media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission, 

and to establish an independent panel to make recommendations on how to increase the representation of 

women and minorities in broadcast media ownership. 

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 ‘‘Media Ownership Act 

5 of 2007’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MEDIA OWNERSHIP REFORMS. 

2 Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 

3 (Public Law 104–104; 110 Stat. 110) is amended by— 

4 (1) redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 

5 (l); and 

6 (2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol7 lowing: 

8 ‘‘(i) NOTICE AND PUBLIC COMMENT REQUIRE9 MENT.— 

10 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In modifying, revising, or 

11 amending any of its regulations related to broadcast 

12 ownership, including any ownership rule or limita13 tion set forth under sections 73.3555, 73.658(g), or 

14 76.501 of its regulations (47 C.F.R. 73.3555, 

15 73.658(g), 76.501), the Commission shall— 

16 ‘‘(A) not later than 90 days prior to any 

17 vote by the Commission on the adoption of such 

18 modification, revision, or amendment publish 

19 such prospective modification, revision, or 

20 amendment in the Federal Register; 

21 ‘‘(B) after such publication provide the 

22 public at least 60 days on which to comment on 

23 the prospective modification, revision, or 

24 amendment; and 

25 ‘‘(C) upon the expiration of the 60-day 

26 comment period described under paragraph (2), 


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1 have not less than 30 days in which to reply to 

2 any such comments. 

3 ‘‘(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The notice and public 

5 requirements under paragraph (1) shall apply 

6 to any attempt by the Commission to modify, 

7 revise, or amend its regulations related to 

8 broadcast and newspaper ownership made after 

9 October 1, 2007. 

10 ‘‘(B) FAILURE TO COMPLY.—If the Com11 mission fails to comply with the notice and pub12 lic requirements under paragraph (1) with re13 spect to any modification, revision, or amend14 ment to which such requirements apply, then 

15 such modification, revision, or amendment shall 

16 be vitiated and shall be of no force and effect. 

17 ‘‘(j) PROMOTION OF LOCAL CONTENT IN MEDIA.— 

18 Before voting on any change in the broadcast and news19 paper ownership rules, the Commission shall initiate, con20 duct, and complete a separate rulemaking proceeding to 

21 promote the broadcast of local programming and content 

22 by broadcasters, including radio and television broadcast 

23 stations, and newspapers. Before issuing a final rule, the 

24 Commission shall— 


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1 ‘‘(1) conduct a study to determine the overall 

2 impact of television station duopolies and news3 paper-broadcast cross-ownership on the quantity and 

4 quality of local news, public affairs, local news media 

5 jobs, and local cultural programming at the market 

6 level; 

7 ‘‘(2) publish a proposed final rule in the Fed8 eral Register not later than 90 days prior to any 

9 vote by the Commission on the adoption of the rule; 

10 ‘‘(3) after such publication provide the public at 

11 least 60 days on which to comment on the prospec12 tive rule; and 

13 ‘‘(4) upon the expiration of the 60-day com14 ment period described in paragraph (3), have not 

15 less than 30 days in which to reply to any such com16 ments. 

17 ‘‘(k) INDEPENDENT PANEL ON WOMEN AND MINOR18 ITY OWNERSHIP OF BROADCAST MEDIA.— 

19 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commission shall 

20 establish and convene an independent panel on 

21 women and minority ownership of broadcast media 

22 to make recommendations to the Commission for 

23 specific Commission rules to increase the representa24 tion of women and minorities in the ownership of 

25 broadcast media. 


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1 ‘‘(2) CENSUS.—The Commission shall— 

2 ‘‘(A) conduct a full and accurate census of 

3 the race and gender of individuals holding a 

4 controlling interest in broadcast station li5 censee; 

6 ‘‘(B) provide the results of the census to 

7 the panel for its consideration before it makes 

8 any recommendation to the Commission; and 

9 ‘‘(C) study the impact of media market 

10 concentration on the representation of women 

11 and minorities in the ownership of broadcast 

12 media based on the data in the census and re13 port the results of that study to the panel for 

14 its consideration before it makes any rec15 ommendation to the Commission. 

16 ‘‘(3) CONSIDERATION OF PANEL’S REC17 OMMENDATIONS.—The Commission shall act on the 

18 panel’s recommendations before voting on any 

19 changes to its broadcast and newspaper ownership 

20 rules.’’. 

Æ 


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