Senators threaten to revoke FCC media ownership vote

By Peter Kaplan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators threatened on Monday to override the Federal Communications Commission if the agency votes to loosen media ownership restrictions at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

A group of 25 senators sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, warning they would "move legislation to revoke the rule and nullify the vote" if the FCC lifts ownership restrictions in the 20 biggest U.S. cities.

The group, including Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, a Democrat from Hawaii, and the panel's top Republican, Ted Stevens of Alaska, said the FCC had not spent enough time studying the issue and seeking input from the public.

The senators accused Martin of ignoring the public's right "to play a constructive role" in the decision.

A spokeswoman for the FCC declined to comment on the letter.

However, in a December 4 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said the Bush administration would oppose any "attempt to delay or overturn these revised (FCC) rules by legislative means."

"The administration has long supported modernization of media ownership regulations to more accurately reflect the changing media landscape," Gutierrez wrote in his letter to Reid.

Martin's proposal is expected to be approved at Tuesday's meeting with the support of the two other Republicans on the commission. They say the FCC has been studying the media ownership issue and soliciting public opinion for years.