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FCC Chief Gets Grilled on Hill

House members want cross-ownership vote delayed; Dems plead for oversight

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 6, 2007 1:37 PM CST
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(Newser) – FCC Chairman Kevin Martin faced angry questioning from both sides of the aisle at a House oversight meeting yesterday, as many urged the commissioner to delay December 18's vote on a controversial change to media cross-ownership rules. Martin said the plan, which would allow companies to own both a newspaper and TV or radio station, was only a “minor loosening”; but his Dem colleagues cried foul.

“The FCC is lurching dangerously off course, and I fear at this point only congressional oversight can put us back on track,” said one. Indeed, Martin’s leadership was assailed by House members, the Post reports, as he was accused again of using bad data and not letting fellow commissioners have appropriate input, charges first leveled at the November FCC public meeting.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey,D-N.Y., speaks at a rally outside the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Rep. Maurice Hinchey,D-N.Y., speaks at a rally outside the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)   (Associated Press)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin, left, looks on as commissioner Michael J. Copps, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington in this Feb. 1, 2007 file photo, before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing assessing the communications marketplace relating to the FCC. The communications system used...
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin, left, looks on as commissioner Michael J. Copps, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington in this Feb. 1, 2007 file photo, before the Senate...   (Associated Press)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin lostens during a hearing on localism, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the FCC headquarters in Washington. Federal regulators on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, approved a rule that would ban exclusive agreements that cable television operators have with apartment buildings, opening up competition for...
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin lostens during a hearing on localism, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the FCC headquarters in Washington. Federal regulators on Wednesday, Oct....   (Associated Press)
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FCC • House of Representatives • House Energy and Commerce Committee • Kevin Martin • media cross ownership • Subcommittee on Telecommunications

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