Statement of Senators DeWine and Kohl on the F.C.C.'s Media Ownership Rulemaking

"We have serious reservations with the FCC's decision today to substantially lift media ownership limits, and will be shortly conducting a hearing at the Antitrust Subcommittee to examine its implications for competition. We continue to believe that only diversity of ownership can preserve the diversity of news, information and entertainment sources essential to our democracy. A wide range of voices must be maintained in order to ensure a thriving and vibrant marketplace of ideas. Accordingly, we will be scrutinizing future media mergers at the Antitrust Subcommittee to examine their impact on the marketplace of ideas. Now that the FCC has significantly relaxed its media ownership limits, many expect a renewed wave of mergers and acquisitions throughout the media sector. The antitrust agencies must enforce the antitrust laws vigorously to protect against excessive media concentration. We will expect the Justice Department and FTC to scrutinize media mergers and acquisitions closely. We urge both agencies to stand guard to prevent deals which will substantially injure competition in these industries that are so vital in providing the news and information relied upon by millions of Americans."