Changes to US media ownership rules have long been expected and several are currently under review.
The review of six key rules comes as the UK government makes its own sweeping changes to its communications legislation. While the UK changes open the way for US companies to buy into UK television, it is unclear as yet, however, what impact the changes, if any, in the US law could have on the UK.
One of the main US ownership rules, limiting the amount of the national TV audience one company can serve to 35%, is already being looked at. NBC, along with News Corporation and Viacom, won a legal battle at the US Court of Appeals in February requiring the FCC to review the rule.
However, the review will not include the rule that restricts cable ownership to 30% of the national cable and satellite audience. This will remained unchanged.
The review, which will be conducted by an FCC taskforce, will look closely at: the ban on ownership of a newspaper and a TV station in one market; the ceiling on the number of radio stations a company can own in one market; combined ownership of a radio and TV station in one market; and the rule which prevents two of the four major TV networks from merging.
The taskforce is expected to finish its investigation in the autumn. It will present a final report to FCC chairman Michael Powell next year and the FCC's commissioners will vote on which rules should be changed.
A decision is expected in August 2003.
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