Ion, Univision, Trinity File Competing Cap Study; 50% Cap Advocates Meet With O'Rielly
A 50 percent national ownership cap without a UHF discount would be “an unprecedented constriction of the national ownership cap,” said economist and former Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth in a report commissioned by Ion, Univision and Trinity and filed Friday. The…
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broadcasters have pressed the FCC to grandfather their UHF discount-dependent groups in any changes to the national cap. Friday’s filing and Furchtgott-Roth’s report target a BIA/Kelsey study filed by broadcasters such as Hearst and Gray in support of a 50 percent cap and eliminating the UHF discount (see 1806110058). “The conclusions of the BIA Report related to economies of scale would more strongly support a cap higher than 50%, or no cap at all,” Furchtgott-Roth’s report said. Despite disagreeing with its conclusions, he said the BIA's evidence does support grandfathering companies such as Ion. The broadcast sponsors of that earlier report, including Hearst President Jordan Wertlieb and Scripps Media President Brian Lawlor, met with Commissioner Mike O’Rielly Tuesday to praise the 50 percent national cap, said a filing in docket 17-318. “Such a choice would permit reasonable growth without causing localism to be irreparably harmed.”