*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 61534.doc*
 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT  December  11,  2006  Brigid  Calamis  202-  418-  2200 
 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  ROBERT  M.  MCDOWELL  REGARDING  NASHVILLE  MEDIA  OWNERSHIP  FIELD  HEARING 
 I  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  attend  the  Commission’s  media  ownership  field  hearing  in  Nashville.  The  debate  over  our  broadcast  ownership  rules  elicits  the  opinions  and  passions  of 
 people  from  all  walks  of  life  from  all  over  the  country.  I  value  those  viewpoints  and  look  forward  to  hearing  more  from  the  perspectives  of  all  interested  parties. 


 I  thank  Commissioner  Tate,  her  staff  and  the  staff  of  the  Media  Bureau  for  all  of  their  efforts  to  organize  the  hearing.  I  am  sorry  that  I  will  miss  the  event,  as  the  comments  from  the 
 panelists  and  members  of  the  public  surely  will  make  a  great  contribution  to  the  Commission’s  ownership  inquiry. 


 -FCC- 
1