U.S. Congressional Committee About To Make a Long December For FCC Chair

December 4, 2007

Television industry trade journal Broadcasting & Cable is reporting this morning that the Federal Communications Commission is being investigated by the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations prompted by criticisms of the FCC's processes and what Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) described as a "breakdown in proper procedure."

According to the report, Rep. Dingell informed FCC chairman Kevin Martin and the other commissioners in a letter Monday of the committee's concerns and the subcommittee's inquiry, saying that he wanted the chairman to commit to publishing proposed rules in advance of commission meetings, then allow for "sufficient time to review" the rules and give other commissioners "all of the relevant information on which proposed orders and rules are based."

If Martin agreed, it would force him to postpone a planned Dec. 18 vote on a proposed loosening of the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules. Such changes would effectively allow one company to own at least one television station and newspaper in any of the top 20 U.S. metropolitan markets.

Rep. Dingell will hold a hearing Dec. 5 on that and other issues, where Chair Martin is expected to come in for some tough criticism for his push for the Dec. 18 vote.

Adding to the pressure on Martin, the Senate Commerce Committee is marking up a bill Dec. 4 that would also block the Dec. 18 vote by legislating such notice of proposed rules and time for public comment.