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News Release — Byron Dorgan, Senator for North Dakota

SENATORS DORGAN & LOTT ANNOUNCE BI-PARTISAN BILL TO HALT FCC RUSH TOWARD EASING MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES

Thursday, November 8, 2007

CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or  Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Trent Lott (R-MS) will introduce legislation later today to halt the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) "fast march" toward easing media ownership rules.

"We believe localism and diversity of media ownership is vital in a democracy," Senator Dorgan said. "Our bill recognizes the importance of a wide range of media owners and local content, and requires a process that does not rush past those concerns to open the gates for even more consolidation of media ownership. We believe there is value to local ownership in the media."

"Communities count on getting their local news from their locally-owned television stations and weekly and daily newspapers," Senator Lott said. "They know 'locally-owned' means they're invested in their communities and care about their well-being. If the FCC won't do their job to keep East and West coast media conglomerates from pushing out these local voices, then there is a role for the Congress to play."

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will announce proposed new rules for media ownership perhaps as early as next week, and have the FCC vote on them by December 18.

"The Media Ownership Act of 2007" would require 90 days for the public to comment on any proposed media ownership rules put forward by the FCC. It would also require the FCC to complete a separate proceeding to evaluate how localism is affected by media consolidation. The bill would require that the public have an opportunity to comment on that proceeding during a 90 day public comment period. The bill states that the localism proceeding must be done separately and be completed prior to a vote on proposed media ownership rules.

Finally, the bill requires establishment of an independent panel on female and minority ownership and for the FCC to provide the panel with accurate data on female and minority ownership. This panel must issue recommendations and the FCC must act on them prior to voting on any proposed ownership rules.

The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), John Kerry (D-MA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

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