WASHIGNTON: The Federal Communications Commission released its order Friday dismissing a petition against News Corp.’s ownership of two TV stations in New York. The decision was reached more than a year ago, but no order was publicized until last week.
The petition challenged the FCC’s waiver of media ownership rules for News Corp.’s ownership of WWOR-TV in Secaucus, N.Y., WNYW-TV in New York and The New York Post, all serving the nation’s No. 1 media market.
News Corp. received the waiver in 2006, along with permission to transfer control of Fox TV stations from News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch to Fox Entertainment group. The FCC granted it based on “special circumstances,” e.g., the survival of the newspaper. The waiver was permanent between The Post and WNYW, and temporary with regard to WWOR. The petition, submitted by the United Church of Christ and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, was not filed until early 2008. The FCC essentially said that the objection should have been filed during the comment process. -- Deborah D. McAdams
