O.J. Book Event Could Effect Cross-Ownership Rules

From Advertising Age, November 27, 2006:

Even though Fox Broadcasting's O.J. special was canceled, it still may have done lasting harm to the broadcast industry.

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The backlash comes at a sensitive time for broadcasters, which have been battling the belief that cross-media ownership gives them too much power -- and some fear the incident gives ammunition to their foes. The Federal Communications Commission is reconsidering rules that determine whether media companies can own more than two TV stations in a market, as well as whether those that own radio stations and newspapers should also be allowed to own TV stations.

News Corp.'s Fox is at the forefront of a broadcast-network-TV push to be allowed to buy more of its affiliate stations.

"Think about how much O.J. they could have crammed in if they owned three TV stations, eight radio stations and the local paper in your town," said Craig Aaron, communications director for Free Press, a group campaigning against loosening of the rules. "It certainly doesn't help Big Media's case for throwing out the rules."

Taking into account how irresponsible actions of media conglomerates, like publishing, promoting and broadcasting an accused murderer's would-be confession, the FCC should see that the potential for abuse of power of the media is real. The O.J. book would have made a lot of money for News Corp., so it was in the companies best interest to use as much of their own company's resources to promote it as possible. Craig Aaron is right that News Corp. would have had this story everywhere. The FCC should recognize that unethical behavior like this is likely if cross-ownership rules are weakened.

Additional stories:
Rintels on O.J. Flap: "The Dark Side of Synergy"