Washington, DC — Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its biennial “Report on Ownership of Commercial Broadcast Stations” detailing the demographic breakdown of owners of media outlets. As expected, the report shows that broadcast ownership by women and people of color remains disproportionately low. This report is the second released by the FCC since it overhauled the collection of this data in 2009. The newly released data comes as the FCC undertakes its 2014 Quadrennial Review of its media ownership rules.
According to the report, in 2013, Latinos owned only 42 out of 1,386, or 3 percent, of full power commercial television stations, and 3.2 percent of FM radio outlets. Latinos did not fare much better in AM radio, once thought to be a key entry point for people of color, owning only 192 out of 3,737, or 5.2 percent, of AM radio stations. Latinos currently make up about 17 percent of the population of the United States. Broadcast ownership by women, African Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians remained similarly stagnant.
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) has long contended that strong media ownership rules that limit industry consolidation could create more opportunities for new entrants like women and people of color. Jessica J. González, executive vice president and general counsel of NHMC, recently made this point in Congress when she testified at a hearing entitled “Media Ownership in the 21st Century,” before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Communications & Technology.
“Despite the discouraging numbers, I am pleased that the FCC continues to release this data that provides an accounting of media ownership in this country. The data is an important reminder that the FCC needs to act quickly to do much more when it comes to fulfilling its goal of promoting diversity of ownership in media. It should start with designing and implementing an aggressive slate of research projects that would help to determine whether or not its current media ownership rules are doing enough to advance its many objectives and statutory obligations when it comes to diversity. NHMC will continue to work with the FCC to reverse decades of decline and ensure that our airwaves contain more diverse voices,” said González.
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