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Media Ownership
Media ownership dominated the US advocacy agenda in 2006 and 2007, as the FCC revisited (and by most accounts, prepared to abolish) remaining restrictions on media ownership. Such actions threatened to end a long tradition of treating diversity of ownership as a means of supporting localism and achieving diversity of speech/opinion in the media. SSRC-sponsored work in this area examined two concerns in particular: the impact of consolidation on localism--especially local news coverage--and 'media diversity' as measured by proxies such as minority ownership and programming variety. This work consistently showed that consolidation adversely affected localism in news and programming, and that the FCC had not held broadcasters responsible for earlier diversity requirements with regard to minority ownership and children's programming. The work contributed to a mostly successful holding action on ownership rules by the time the proceedings ended in early 2008. Media ownership has figured less prominently in recent grant rounds.
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A Qualitative Survey of Minority Radio and Television Ownership and Media Consolidation
Follow up to the 2006 'Small Grant' survey on barriers to entry for minority owners
Primary Investigators: Catherine Sandoval and Allen S. Hammond, IV, Santa Clara University School of Law
Partnering Organization: Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC) -
Assessing the Diversity of Latino-Oriented News Media in Local Settings
An assessment of source diversity, content diversity and exposure diversity in the Latino-oriented broadcast media, focusing on Central Texas
Primary Investigator: Federico Subervi, Texas State University
Partnering Organizations: National Hispanic Media Coaltion; Latinos and Media Project (LAMP) -
Big Media, Little Kids 2: The Impact of Concentrated Station Ownership on Children's Educational TV
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The Impact of Media Concentration on Local TV News Coverage
A study of the impact of duopoly ownership in local markets on local TV news
Primary Investigator: Danilo Yanich, University of Delaware
Partnering Organization: Consumer Federation of America -
Information Asymmetries, Commercial Data Access and Usage in the Policymaking Process
An analysis of the role of data, research, and evidence in FCC policymaking
Primary Investigators: Philip Napoli and Michelle Seaton, Fordham University
Partnering Organization: Consumer Federation of America -
Local TV News Content and Media Ownership
Research on the impact of shrinking station ownership on local news coverage
Primary investigator: Danilo Yanich, University of Delaware
Partnering Organization: Consumer Federation of America -
Localism, the Ethnic Minority News Audience, and Community Participation
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Radio Programming Variety and the Local Ownership Cap
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Understanding Barriers to Entry for Minority and Female Broadcasters
A study of how the formation of duopolies and triopolies in media markets may affect the quantity and quality of programs broadcast for the child audience
Primary Investigator: Katharine Heintz, University of Southern MainePartnering Organization: Children Now
Survey and interview research on media consumption among minority populations in Washington, DC
Primary Investigators: Carolyn Byerly and Jamila A. Cupid, Howard University; Kehbuma Langmia, Bowie State University
A study of the impact of concentration in radio station ownership on programming
Primary Investigator: Peter DiCola, University of Michigan
Partnering Organization: Future of Music Coalition
A survey-based study on the experiences and perspectives of minority and female broadcasters, focusing on public policies that affect their entry into the market
Primary Investigators: Catherine Sandoval and Allen S. Hammond, IV, Santa Clara University School of LawPartnering Organization: Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC)