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Commissioners clash over small business opportunities

The FCC released its "Triennial Report to Congress; Indentifying and Eliminating Entry Barriers for Entrepreneurs and Other Small Businesses," with three of the commissioners appending comments. When it comes to broadcasting, as usual, Republicans and Democrats do not see eye to eye.

"Small businesses and entrepreneurs are entering media markets at a pace never before seen..." wrote Republican Kathleen Abernathy. "...flooding the cable and satellite television network and program production ranks." She said that digital technology and the increased channel capacity it offers is opening up opportunities for small businesses.

Democrat Michael Copps disagreed. "Across this country..." he wrote, "...we heard that weakening media concentration rules threatens the very survival of small businesses. As fewer and fewer companies control our media outlets, small local broadcasters will find it harder and harder to compete. Media analysts expect that the only option for small broadcasters will now be to sell."

Copps also said that vertical integration makes it harder for independent producers to sell programming, since conglomerates have an interest in using their own self-produced programming.

Democrat Jonathan Adelstein expressed similar concerns to Copps. Discussing increased consolidation provisions in the FCC's 6/2/03 ownership ruling, he wrote, "Small of single-station entrants will find themselves increasingly competing with large, consolidated group owners. In more concentrated and more expensive media markets, entrepreneurs will face even more difficulties raising capital, owning outlets, or having their unique voices heard."