The Federal Communications Commission and Chair Jessica Rosenworcel came under fire in the Wall Street Journal on January 13 over the 2018 Quadrennial Review results. The piece marked a very public suggestion that a significant shift was needed in Washington’s approach to traditional media in a digital world.
The opinion article from WSJ Business World contributor Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. discussed how local radio stations continue to struggle, with their business model relying on assembling local audiences to indirectly fund the production and distribution of local news.
Describing the caps as “ancient prohibition,” Jenkins said the continuation of such strict regulation would only lead to “fire-sale liquidations” as the FCC focused too heavily on partisan issues like net neutrality. The WSJ piece is an open decrying of what many have felt has been a more private battle for broadcasters.
Earlier in January, the NAB expressed its frustration over the decision to maintain the, “Outdated, decades-old rules,” and how it was, “Deeply disappointed, though not surprised, that the FCC missed the opportunity.”
In her official opinion, Chairwoman Rosenworcel said, the ownership limits are a product of, “The values in the law that have always informed our approach to media policy—support for localism, competition, and diversity of ownership. These values support jobs and journalism. They are important. Even as times change, these values remain. So does the law. While the ways we consume news and content in the digital age have changed, this approach is consistent with our longstanding values.”
The FCC is currently conducting the 2022 Quadrennial Review.
