WASHINGTON—A recent federal appeals court on media ownership limits could impact the Federal Communications Commission’s process for reviewing its rules every two years, said FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps during his monthly press conference on Thursday morning.
The process hinted at by the court’s decision could be burdensome on consumer and advocacy groups who would be required to file every two years on every rule of interest to them in order to maintain standing, said Copps.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the FCC to review its rules every two years to determine whether they are outdated or no longer needed as competition develops. The spectrum cap rules were recently reviewed and set on a path to elimination as part of a biennial review proceeding.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Feb. 19 overturned the FCC’s media ownership rules that limited the number of broadcast facilities that can be controlled in each market. The FCC as part of a biennial review had upheld the rules.
