Court Tosses Most of FCC's Ownership Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. A federal appeals court has invalidated much of last year’s decision by the Federal Communications Commission to relax media ownership rules and continued a stay to keep any of the FCC’s proposed changes from taking effect.

The action by the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on Thursday amounted to a setback for broadcasters seeking to expand, and for some newspaper companies that are eager to combine with nearby TV stations. It stood as a victory for critics who said the FCC decision would allow a dangerous concentration of media that could throttle the robust debate needed to keep democracy healthy.

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