The FCC told lawmakers that it’s dedicated to a data-driven...

The FCC told lawmakers that it’s dedicated to a data-driven process to shape policies in its media ownership proceeding. The commission expects the process to shape policies that also promote ownership diversity and enable robust local news broadcasts for all communities, its Office of Legislative Affairs said in letters this week. Last year, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., Michael Doyle, D-Pa., and other lawmakers expressed their concern, in separate letters, about the impact that proposed cross-ownership rules could have on local and diverse programming. Those letters were posted in the docket this week. Given New Jersey’s unfortunate experience with media consolidation, “I am particularly disappointed to learn that the FCC is considering modifying its media ownership rules to the benefit of major media companies and to the detriment of local news coverage,” said Lautenberg (http://bit.ly/XuwAft). Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., urged the FCC to have a public vote on the media ownership report and order at its next open meeting: “You will have the opportunity to publicly explain your rationale for the weakening of the existing media cross-ownership rule and other elements of the report and order” (http://bit.ly/Y9X1om).