MARY l. LANDRIEU 
LOUISIANA 
tinitrd ~tatrs ~rnatr 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1804 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 1 i 11 Street, SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
June 26,2014 
Local newscasts are a key source of daily information to citizens of Louisiana, especially 
in smaller or more rural markets and particularly in times of emergency. Unfortunately, market 
pressures in the broadcasting industry are making it harder for smaller stations to survive. If 
regional stations go dark, Louisiana constituents will be the ultimate losers. 
As a result of the FCC' s decision to count JSAs between television stations as ownership 
interests, many existing agreements will have to be unwound unless specific waivers are 
granted. These existing agreements were consistent with the law and rules at the time they were 
executed, and business plans for small, local broadcasters have been built around them. Forcing 
theses local broadcasters to rely on the speculative possibility of a waiver creates substantial 
business challenges in smaller markets. 
Additionally, I am concerned that the new JSA rules going forward will unnecessarily 
foreclose many agreements that have resulted in improved local service and a more robust 
broadcast industry in smaller markets where stations may, absent a JSA, struggle to generate 
sufficient advertising revenue to support the production of locally oriented programming. 
I believe the Commission can successfully address these concerns within the framework 
of the existing rules and, therefore, urge the Commission to adopt a waiver policy that does not 
penalize JSAs that were structured and executed in smaller, local markets prior to the issuance of 
the new rules. In addition, the Commission's waiver policy going forward should favorably 
regard JSAs that promote more or better local news, public affairs and emergency information, 
diverse programming such as foreign language and expanded ownership opportunities for 
minorities and women in broadcasting. 
Thank you for consideration of these issues. 
Sincerely, 
~~~ 
Mary L. Landrieu 
United States Senator