TAMPA MEDIA OWNERSHIP FIELD HEARING STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER DEBORAH TAYLOR TATE I welcome the opportunity to hear from the citizens of the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida area – a thriving technology center, the largest media market in the state, and 12th largest television DMA in the United States. It is also home to the Tampa Tribune and WFLA-TV, which together constitute one of approximately 40 grandfathered newspaper- broadcast combinations in the country, which should provide us with a unique opportunity to learn about the effects – both positive and negative – such combinations have. I look forward to touring their converged facility during my stay in Tampa. I want to thank our dedicated FCC staff, who worked long and hard to make this hearing possible. Attending the first three of our six planned public field hearings, where broadcasters, academics, recording artists, union representatives, and hundreds of citizens have spoken passionately about these issues, has been an educational experience. I continue to consider the issues raised by our media ownership proceeding with an open and inquiring mind and believe we must continue to be mindful of the ongoing, dramatic changes in the ways we receive our news, information, and entertainment, anytime, anywhere. I look forward to hearing from our distinguished panelists and, especially, from those members of the public who are with us today.