What are the laws regarding media ownership and consolidation?

Media ownership laws and regulations in Mississippi are complex and vary depending on the type of media being discussed. Generally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the power to regulate and monitor media ownership in Mississippi. The FCC requires that no radio or television station is controlled by any one company or individual, and limits the number of stations that one company can own in a single market. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed media companies to consolidate and own multiple stations in the same market, but the FCC has set limits on how many stations a single entity can own. In Mississippi, broadcast television and radio station ownership is capped at an average of eight owned stations per market, and no more than five of any single type of service may be owned in the same market. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 also included language regarding cross-ownership, which is when a company or individual owns both a broadcast station and a newspaper in the same market. In Mississippi, the FCC forbids any cross-ownership of media companies. Moreover, the FCC requires broadcasters to provide fair and reasonable access to the airwaves and to ensure diversity of points of view in the media. In short, media ownership and consolidation is strictly regulated in the state of Mississippi by the FCC’s rules and regulations. By limiting how many stations can be owned in a single market and banning cross-ownership, the FCC seeks to protect the public’s access to a variety of voices and points of view in the media.

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What are the laws regarding media ownership and consolidation?

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