NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
March 23, 2010 Brigid Calamis (202) 418-2200
Email: brigid.calamis@fcc.gov
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL ON THIRD CIRCUIT 
ORDER ADVANCING COURT REVIEW OF THE 2007 MEDIA OWNERSHIP 
DECISION
I am pleased that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has decided to move 
forward promptly with its review of the Commission's 2007 media ownership decision -- and to 
lift the stay that until today has frozen in place burdensome ownership rules that are many years 
out of date. As I said in the letter I filed at the Third Circuit last spring, when the court was 
contemplating a change in the Commission's position concerning the timing of court review, I 
favor swift action on the pending appellate challenges.  (See attachment.)  The lifting of the stay 
on the Commission's very modest relaxation of the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule is 
particularly appropriate given the economic upheaval affecting the ongoing viability of many 
daily newspapers and broadcast stations. I also believe that the Commission can only benefit 
from instruction of a Third Circuit ruling on the 2007 ownership rules as we begin the next round 
of the statutorily required quadrennial review of the regulations.  
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