STATEMENT OF 
COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN
Re:  2010 Quadrennial Regulatory Review – Review of the Commission’s Broadcast Ownership 
Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 
MB Docket No. 09-182, Promoting Diversification of Ownership In the Broadcasting Services, 
MB Docket No. 07-294, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
In considering this item, I experienced a myriad of emotions: Hope, fear, frustration, 
expectation, and exasperation. 
Media ownership affects every single person in this country, whether they realize it or 
not. Everyone digests news, some casually others voraciously.  Therefore, preserving 
journalistic integrity and promoting a diversity of viewpoints are paramount concerns, and 
should remain top priorities for this agency.
Among other things, this NPRM acknowledges that the Commission needs more data. It 
admits that the factual information that the Commission currently has is incomplete if developing 
policies to promote greater female and minority ownership is still a priority. I commend the 
Chairman for insisting that ours is a data-driven agency, and am encouraged by the commitment 
to support the research necessary to achieve, in an expeditious fashion, a comprehensive picture 
of the current state of female and minority ownership.
Women, minorities and those who reside in rural areas come into my office painting a 
bleak picture. They feel disconnected from the public airwaves, and their outlets rarely speak to 
the needs of their communities. They echo the argument that more relaxed media ownership 
rules would negatively impact diversity of ownership, but without the proper data, our agency 
cannot concur or refute that troubling conclusion. Does consolidation harm chances for others to 
fairly compete?  Is female and minority ownership in the broadcast sector particularly lagging as 
compared to other industries? Is every segment of this country getting the information its 
residents need? I have been told by those wishing to serve long-neglected communities that 
female and minority owners have a great record when it comes to diverse hiring, promotion and 
community service.  But stories and anecdotes, no matter how persuasive or discouraging, are 
not enough. This Commission has a duty to get a firm and informed handle on what is actually 
happening in our big cities and in our small towns. We need to know how our policies are 
actually affecting ALL Americans.
The FCC needs to know who owns the media. We have an obligation to more fully 
understand what impact that ownership has on journalism and the critical information needs of 
all our communities. The answers to these questions are crucial, and we owe it to the public to 
implement policies that are informed and forward-looking.
This Commission’s responsibility to the public interest is one I take very seriously, and 
this falls squarely into that mission. Our research on the media landscape cannot be done 
quickly enough, and with the funds approved for Fiscal Year 2012, one less barrier stands in the 
way of us meeting that basic mission.
I will continue to work with Chairman Genachowski, my colleagues at the Commission, 
and other interested parties as we collect, evaluate and incorporate timely and much sought after 
data, which will serve as the foundation for a sound policy framework.