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 STATEMENT  OF  CHAIRMAN  KEVIN  J.  MARTIN 
 Re:  2006  Quadrennial  Regulatory  Review  –  Review  of  the  Commission’s  Broadcast  Ownership  Rules  and  Other  Rule  Adopted  Pursuant  to  Section  202  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996;  2002  Biennial 
 Regulatory  Review  –  Review  of  the  Commission’s  Broadcast  Ownership  Rules  and  Other  Rules  Adopted  Pursuant  to  Section  202  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996;  Cross-  Ownership  of  Broadcast  Stations 
 and  Newspapers;  Rules  and  Policies  Concerning  Multiple  Ownership  of  Radio  Broadcast  Stations  in  Local  Markets;  Definition  of  Radio  Markets  (MB  Docket  Nos.  06-  121,  02-  277,  and  MM  Docket  Nos.  01- 
 235,  01-  317  and  00-  244). 
 Today,  the  Commission  opens  a  process  to  review  its  media  ownership  rules,  a  topic  of  vital  importance  to  our  democracy.  We  begin  this  dialog  in  a  neutral  and  even-  handed  fashion.  The  action 
 responds  to  the  Third  Circuit’s  decision  in  Prometheus  Radio  Project  v.  FCC. 
 It  has  been  nearly  three  years  since  the  Third  Circuit  stayed  the  Commission’s  previous  rules  1  and  nearly  two  years  since  the  Third  Circuit  instructed  the  Commission  to  respond  to  the  court  with  further 
 justification  or  amended  rules.  2 
 As  we  embark  upon  this  comprehensive  review,  the  Commission  should  take  into  account  the  competitive  realities  of  the  media  marketplace  while  also  ensuring  the  promotion  of  the  important  goals  of 
 localism  and  diversity.  As  the  item  indicates,  the  Commission  will  look  carefully  at  the  relationship  between  media  ownership  and  localism  as  it  moves  forward  with  this  rulemaking.  To  that  end,  the 
 Commission  will  incorporate  into  this  proceeding  the  efforts  undertaken  on  this  issue  since  the  last  examination  of  our  media  ownership  rules. 


 Public  input  is  integral  to  this  process.  The  Commission  has  adopted  an  extended  comment  period  of  120  days.  Over  the  next  several  months,  the  Commission  will  hold  half  a  dozen  public  hearings 
 around  the  country  on  the  topic  of  media  ownership  to  more  fully  involve  the  American  people.  I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  the  American  people  on  a  variety  of  subjects  at  these  hearings  such  as  the  impact 
 of  the  Commission’s  rules  on  localism,  campaigns  and  community  event  coverage,  minority  ownership,  and  various  types  of  programming  like  children’s  and  family-  friendly  programming  and  independent  and 
 religious  programming.  The  Commission  also  is  creating  a  new  webpage  on  this  topic  that  will  further  contribute  to  making  this  an  open  and  transparent  process. 


 Finally,  the  Commission  will  initiate  studies  to  address  unanswered  questions  about  the  impact  of  media  ownership.  We  will  seek  the  resources  necessary  for  comprehensive  studies.  They  will  be  on  a 
 variety  of  topics  that  will  incorporate  issues  including  how  the  public  gets  its  news  and  information,  competition  across  media  platforms,  marketplace  changes  since  we  last  reviewed  our  ownership  rules, 
 localism,  independent  and  diverse  programming  and  the  production  of  children’s  and  family-  friendly  programming. 


 I  look  forward  to  working  with  my  colleagues  on  each  of  these  efforts  and  on  these  issues  of  great  importance  to  the  industry  and  the  listening  and  viewing  public. 


 1  Prometheus  Radio  Project  v.  FCC,  No.  03-  3388,  2003  WL  22052896  (3d  Cir.  Sept.  3,  2003). 
 2  Prometheus  Radio  Project,  et  al.  v.  F.  C.  C.,  373  F.  3d  372  (2004). 
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