Opinion ID: 397839
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Top 50 Policy

Text: 9 Prior to its acquisition of Channel 20, Taft already owned five VHF stations and one UHF station in the top fifty television markets. 4 In order for it to obtain an exemption from the Top 50 Policy, Taft had to make a compelling public interest showing of the benefits in detail that are relied upon to overcome the detriment with respect to the policy of diversifying the sources of mass media communications to the public. Multiple Ownership of TV Broadcast Stations, 22 F.C.C.2d 696, 700 (1968). 10 At its August 16 meeting, the Commission found that Taft had made such a showing. See Initial Transfer Order, 73 F.C.C.2d at 656-64. WATCH continues to object strenuously to that finding, and the three dissenting Commissioners objected as well, see note 2 supra. It is clear that the adequacy of Taft's case for an exemption from the Top 50 Policy is the central substantive issue on this appeal. Were it not equally clear that the issue is moot, we should have to determine whether the Commission's approval of the application was unreasonable, and whether any substantial and material question(s) of fact existed so as to require a formal hearing pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 309(e) (1976). 11 Before the proceedings with respect to Taft's transfer application began, the FCC had announced its intention to reconsider the Top 50 Policy. See Multiple Ownership-Television B/C Stations, 68 F.C.C.2d 837 (1978). Subsequently it decided to repeal the policy. Top 50 Ownership Policy, 75 F.C.C.2d 585 (1979), reconsideration denied, 82 F.C.C.2d 329 (1980), appeal pending sub nom. NAACP v. FCC, No. 2416 (D.C.Cir. Nov. 20, 1980). Given this development, we are led to conclude that it would be an idle and useless formality, NLRB v. Wyman-Gordon Co., 394 U.S. 759, 766-67 n.6, 89 S.Ct. 1426, 1430 n.6, 22 L.Ed.2d 709 (1969), to remand this case to the Commission if we were to find that it had not applied its Top 50 Policy properly. The reason is simple: there is no more Top 50 Policy to apply. No matter how many errors the Commission may have committed in applying the policy this time around, on remand, other things being equal, it would merely approve once again an otherwise acceptable application. It would not correct its mistakes because it would not have to do so; it would not have to pay any further attention to the Top 50 Policy at all. 12 We believe that a finding of mootness is the only proper one here. The Commission, in an intervening proceeding, has determined that the policy previously applied in cases like this one no longer serves the public interest, convenience, and necessity, and therefore will not be applied henceforth. We hold that in such circumstances an agency cannot be required to apply a policy it has rejected. 5 Such a requirement would amount to a command to the agency to disregard its statutory mandate: it would have to employ a policy that, by its own determination, did not serve the public interest. 6 That the FCC's repeal of its policy currently is being appealed before this court does not disturb our conclusion. To hold that a repealed policy must be applied pending judicial review would tie an agency's hands for the frequently long periods during which appeals await disposition in the courts. 7