Free Press cautioned against using a forthcoming study from the...

Free Press cautioned against using a forthcoming study from the Minority Media & Telecom Council on media cross-ownership to help inform rule changes affecting women and minority owners. The FCC delayed the media ownership proceeding to give MMTC time to do the study (CD Feb 27 p1). MMTC commissioned BIA Kelsey to do the study. Free Press also said a study endorsed by the broadcast and newspaper lobbies, and carried out by an analyst who has expressed support for weakening such rules, “cannot be substituted for independent research and agency action,” Free Press said in an ex parte filing in docket 07-294 (http://bit.ly/Vw5T7Z). “Due to our understanding of this qualitative study’s methodology, we have serious concerns about its ability to provide the sort of analysis required of the commission by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in the Prometheus II decision.” The filing recounted a phone conversation with Matt Wood, Free Press policy director, and David Grimaldi, media aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.