National Hispanic Media Coalition Praises Retention of Media Ownership Limits, Disappointed in Failure to Adequately Address Broadcast Ownership Diversity

For Immediate Release: August 25, 2016 Contact: Christina DiPasquale, 202.716.1953, Christina@balestramedia.com

National Hispanic Media Coalition Praises Retention of Media Ownership Limits, Disappointed in Failure to Adequately Address Broadcast Ownership Diversity

Today, the Federal Communications Commission released their full order upholding the current media ownership rules limiting cross-ownership of newspapers, radio and TV stations in the same market, and limiting the number of radio and TV stations that one can own in the same market. The order can be found here: http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016/db0825/FCC-16-107A1.pdf. Said Jessica J. González, executive vice present and general counsel at the National Hispanic Media Coalition: “This FCC decision preserving media ownership limits is critically important to protect media owners of color from being crowded out by rampant media consolidation, but we are disappointed that the agency wasted yet another opportunity to examine exactly how ownership rules impact diversity. The FCC must immediately provide timely data and analysis about the effect of media ownership limits and remaining challenges that keep broadcast licenses held by people of color far below 10 percent at a time when over a third of Americans are people of color. “Diversity on the airwaves is more important than ever to dispel dangerous stereotypes that lead to violence and discrimination against people of color, and the FCC must find ways to address the shockingly low level of broadcast ownership diversity.” Latinos are severely underrepresented as media owners, despite being one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the US with $1.5 trillion in purchasing power. For over a decade, the National Hispanic Media Coalition has worked to ensure that the FCC upholds broadcast ownership limits and consistently releases timely data to the public with a thorough analysis. NHMC recommends that the FCC:

• Biannually collect, analyze and report to the public about broadcast stations’ ownership status, commonly referred to as “Form 323 data”;
• Produce a disparity study;
• Collect and report to the public about broadcast stations’ equal employment opportunity data, commonly referred to as “Form 395 data” or “EEO data”; and
• Post all information in timely and easily accessible way online, accompanied by an analysis of the data.

For interviews, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.716.1953 or Christina@balestramedia.com.

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