A federal court told the Federal Communications Commission on Friday to report by Dec. 1 whether it intends to consider changing its restrictions on ownership of newspapers and television stations in the same market.
The FCC must submit the report so the court can decide whether Tribune Co. may hold on to WDZL-TV in Miami, at least temporarily, while the agency considers relaxing its ownership rules. Under the rules, a person or group can’t acquire a TV station or newspaper in a market where it has an outlet in the other medium.
“The court appears to have forced the FCC to commit to the larger questions of its future policy within a reasonable timeframe,” said Andy Schwartzman, president of the Washington-based public interest law firm Media Access Project.
Chicago-based Tribune asked the FCC to waive its ownership rules so it could complete its $1.1 billion purchase of six TV stations from Renaissance Communications Corp. The problem is that Renaissance owned WDZL in Miami, and Tribune owns the Sun-Sentinel in nearby Ft. Lauderdale.
The FCC let the combination go through in March with conditions. It told Tribune it must get rid of WDZL or the Sun-Sentinel by March 22, 1998. Tribune is asking the court to grant a waiver, at least until the FCC decides whether the ownership restrictions are still needed.
Tribune argues that the ownership restrictions are outdated because of the growing number of news outlets.
