The Federal Communications Commission heard calls for easing media ownership curbs and arguments over newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership Monday night in the evening portion of a Nashville hearing on media consolidation.
It also heard pleas to stop cable companies from stripping digital multicasting signals and a charge that media companies are getting greedy in seeking rules changes.
After hearing country music singers and songwriters worried about the impact of radio consolidation Monday afternoon, last night’s hearing turned to TV issues.
“Consumers have more choices,” said Ellen Leifeld, publisher and president of Gannett-owned newspaper The Tennessean. “Cross-ownership robs the news media of options in confronting changes.”
