Lougee Says Broadcasters Need Regulatory Changes, Blackburn Pursues FCC Reauth, Media Institute Hears

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she's pursuing her FCC reauthorization bill despite recent delays in work to revise a draft of the bill that circulated in July and was discussed at a House Communications oversight hearing (see 1707190051, 1707250059 and 1709220055). “Our proposed reauthorization bill includes relief from the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule, a proposal that has had some bipartisan support in the past,” Blackburn said during a Media Institute event Wednesday evening. “We should at least be able to agree to this slight nod to reality as a first step in considering further reform.” Also at the event, Tegna CEO Dave Lougee said localism is an antidote to America’s increased tribalism, and broadcasters need regulatory changes to continue providing locally focused content. “Localism undermines division,” Lougee said. He's “optimistic” the FCC will loosen ownership restrictions to allow broadcasters to better compete with large companies in other media. “We have to move away from archaic rules and anachronistic market definitions,” Lougee said.