PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 09-2139 September 29, 2009 MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES WORKSHOPS TO BEGIN THE 2010 QUADRENNIAL REVIEW OF THE FCC’S MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES The Media Bureau will initiate a series of workshops as a first step in beginning the Federal Communication Commission’s 2010 quadrennial review of its media ownership rules. Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the Commission to review its ownership rules every four years and “determine whether any of such rules are necessary in the public interest as the result of competition.” Under Section 202(h), the Commission “shall repeal or modify any regulation it determines to be no longer in the public interest.” The purpose of the workshops initially will be to receive public input on the appropriate scope and methodology of the proceeding and later to help build an analytical and empirical foundation for a Commission decision. The forums will cover a wide variety of topics that the Commission expects to consider in its review, including the state of the current media marketplace and the role of the media ownership rules in that marketplace. The Commission will seek viewpoints and information from a broad range of experts; consumers; public interest and trade associations; labor unions; media industry representatives, both traditional and new; and other interested persons. The Bureau will hold its first workshop in the series in early November 2009. This initial forum will provide an opportunity for academics, industry stakeholders, and the public interest community to present their views on the framework the Commission should use for conducting its ownership review. Their insights will help determine the questions the Commission should address and how best to gather the data needed to answer those questions. More details will follow shortly on the issues to be discussed and the date, location, and participants for this first workshop. For further information, contact Mania Baghdadi or Amy Brett, Industry Analysis Division, Media Bureau (202) 418-2330. Please direct press inquiries to Janice Wise (202) 418-8165. -FCC-