In 1995, NTIA published a report on the availability of capital for minorities trying to enter the broadcasting business. This report provides an historical perspective on minority ownership and an assessment of the impact that the recent trend of broadcast industry consolidation has had on minority ownership. Our Nation has had a long-standing commitment to minority participation in the broadcast industry.
Diverse voices contributing to public discourse is a fundamental element of our democratic society.
The wave of broadcast mergers that swept through the industry following the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as well as emerging technologies have highlighted the need to examine the impact of business, legal, and technological changes on minority ownership. Since 1990 when MTDP began collecting data on minority commercial broadcast ownership in the United States, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans have consistently been underrepresented among the Nation's commercial broadcast owners. Ranging from a low of 2.7 percent in 1991 to a high of 3.8 percent in 2000, minorities' ownership of commercial broadcast facilities has remained far below their estimated 29 percent representation in the U.S. population. This year's report shows modest progress in some areas of minority commercial broadcast ownership. It also reveals, however, the continuation of some disturbing trends.