White House Threatens Veto on Media-Ownership Cap

[muchacho]

If you hate the media echo chamber then call you representative!

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White House Threatens Veto on Media-Ownership Cap

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said on Tuesday it would veto a large government-spending bill if it reimposed media-ownership caps that were recently relaxed by the Federal Communications Commission.

A House of Representatives committee altered a spending bill for the FCC and other government agencies last week to block deals that would allow television networks to own individual stations that reach more than 35 percent of the audience.

The agency recently raised the national audience limit from to 45 percent 35 percent, sparking a firestorm of criticism from both Democrats and Republicans who argued the move could hurt local reporting and diversity of viewpoints.

The Bush administration said any move to roll back the changes would scuttle the $37.9 billion spending bill, which also sets the budgets for the Justice, State and Commerce departments.

"The Administration believes that the new FCC media ownership rules more accurately reflect the changing media landscape and the current state of network station ownership, while still guarding against undue concentration in the marketplace," the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.

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http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0722-09.htm