SEC. 2. MEDIA OWNERSHIP REFORMS. 
Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 
(Public Law 104–104; 110 Stat. 110) is amended by— 
(1) redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 
(l); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) NOTICE
AND
PUBLIC
COMMENT
REQUIRE-
MENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In modifying, revising, or 
amending any of its regulations related to broadcast 
ownership, including any ownership rule or limita-
tion set forth under sections 73.3555, 73.658(g), or 
76.501 of its regulations (47 C.F.R. 73.3555, 
73.658(g), 76.501), the Commission shall— 
‘‘(A) not later than 90 days prior to any 
vote by the Commission on the adoption of such 
modification, revision, or amendment publish 
such prospective modification, revision, or 
amendment in the Federal Register; 
‘‘(B) after such publication provide the 
public at least 60 days on which to comment on 
the 
prospective 
modification, 
revision, 
or 
amendment; and 
‘‘(C) upon the expiration of the 60-day 
comment period described under paragraph (2), 
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have not less than 30 days in which to reply to 
any such comments. 
‘‘(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The notice and public 
requirements under paragraph (1) shall apply 
to any attempt by the Commission to modify, 
revise, or amend its regulations related to 
broadcast and newspaper ownership made after 
October 1, 2007. 
‘‘(B) FAILURE TO COMPLY.—If the Com-
mission fails to comply with the notice and pub-
lic requirements under paragraph (1) with re-
spect to any modification, revision, or amend-
ment to which such requirements apply, then 
such modification, revision, or amendment shall 
be vitiated and shall be of no force and effect. 
‘‘(j) PROMOTION OF LOCAL CONTENT IN MEDIA.— 
Before voting on any change in the broadcast and news-
paper ownership rules, the Commission shall initiate, con-
duct, and complete a separate rulemaking proceeding to 
promote the broadcast of local programming and content 
by broadcasters, including radio and television broadcast 
stations, and newspapers. Before issuing a final rule, the 
Commission shall— 
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‘‘(1) conduct a study to determine the overall 
impact of television station duopolies and news-
paper-broadcast cross-ownership on the quantity and 
quality of local news, public affairs, local news media 
jobs, and local cultural programming at the market 
level; 
‘‘(2) publish a proposed final rule in the Fed-
eral Register not later than 90 days prior to any 
vote by the Commission on the adoption of the rule; 
‘‘(3) after such publication provide the public at 
least 60 days on which to comment on the prospec-
tive rule; and 
‘‘(4) upon the expiration of the 60-day com-
ment period described in paragraph (3), have not 
less than 30 days in which to reply to any such com-
ments. 
‘‘(k) INDEPENDENT PANEL ON WOMEN AND MINOR-
ITY OWNERSHIP OF BROADCAST MEDIA.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commission shall 
establish and convene an independent panel on 
women and minority ownership of broadcast media 
to make recommendations to the Commission for 
specific Commission rules to increase the representa-
tion of women and minorities in the ownership of 
broadcast media. 
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‘‘(2) CENSUS.—The Commission shall— 
‘‘(A) conduct a full and accurate census of 
the race and gender of individuals holding a 
controlling interest in broadcast station li-
censee; 
‘‘(B) provide the results of the census to 
the panel for its consideration before it makes 
any recommendation to the Commission; and 
‘‘(C) study the impact of media market 
concentration on the representation of women 
and minorities in the ownership of broadcast 
media based on the data in the census and re-
port the results of that study to the panel for 
its consideration before it makes any rec-
ommendation to the Commission. 
‘‘(3) 
CONSIDERATION
OF
PANEL’S
REC-
OMMENDATIONS.—The Commission shall act on the 
panel’s recommendations before voting on any 
changes to its broadcast and newspaper ownership 
rules.’’. 
Æ 
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