By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 7-12-16

An FCC source confirms the FCC’s Dmeocratic majority has voted to approve the FCC’s quadrennial media ownership review notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) had said at an FCC oversight hearing Tuesday (July 12) that he had been told that was the case. That came in an FCC oversight hearing in his subcommittee.

That item does not loosen or lift duopoly or crossownership rules, though it does add a failing newspaper waiver to newspaper-broadcast crossownership rule. It also revives the FCC’s restriction on existing TV joint sales agreements.

Walden said he hoped the FCC item had not ignored Congress’ “very specific views” to the FCC through the legislative process on JSAs, adding: “That would be very disappointing.”

Congress has passed legislation that grandfathers JSAs existing before the FCC’s March 2014 vote that would otherwise have to have been unwound under the FCC rules and allows those grandfathered JSAs to change hands without having to be unwound.  » Read More