Re: Blethan campaign against FCC rules

[Richard Chonak <rac@gabrielmass.com>]

Dan Billings wrote:

> Blethan is running full-page ads claiming the rule change is a threat to
> democracy.  They are not suggesting that cross-ownership should be allowed
> in some circumstances, but not others.  

With some reason: it would have been a weaker rhetorical
position to suggest that.  What sort of rational standard could they
have proposed for allowing some cases of cross-ownership?   I ask this
with an open mind, because I'm admittedly not a mass-media pro.  A
criterion based on market size or audience share, for example, is open to
criticism on the ground that the cut-off point is arbitrary.

> Blethan just broke a joint marketing agreement with the other newspaper in
> Seatle.  They may be thinking that their competition will be more likely to
> stay in business if one of the companies that own the TV stations in Seatle
> can't buy the paper.

Yeah, you're getting more traction here, with this point about Blethen's 
financial interest.

["More likely to stay in business"?   Was that a typo?]

--RC