A group of newspaper and radio cross-owners urged...

A group of newspaper and radio cross-owners urged the FCC to repeal the ban on cross-ownership, said a letter filed with the commission last week (http://bit.ly/12lbDz3). “Competition from traditional media combined with intense Internet-based competition ... has significantly diminished the market power and influence of cross-owned daily newspapers,” said officials from West Virginia Radio Corp., LaSalle County Broadcasting, and WJAG -- all companies that own both radio stations and newspapers. In meetings with all three commissioners and FCC staff, the cross-owners cited high competition in media as evidence that the ban should be repealed, along with results from the recent Minority Media and Telecommunications Council study (CD May 31 p1) showing “that repeal will have no impact on minority or female ownership of radio,” the ex parte said. The group said the cross-ownership rule “has blocked upgrades of after-acquired radio stations, keeping them from reaching their full potential in terms of audience reach and revenue generation” and led to a “loss of quality” in local news reporting.