Is the release of the long-awaited Future of Media Report at hand? Since January 2010, the FCC has been studying the Future of Media, a study conducted by a Special Advisor to the FCC Chairman who was appointed in November 2009. The study was to provide important research and analysis of how broadcasting and other media are serving the needs of local communities, particularly in light of changes in the media landscape brought about by new technologies. FCC Commissioners have suggested that these findings will influence the Commission's decisionmaking in the open proceedings on localism and on the possible revision of the multiple ownership rules - localism pending for over three and a half years, and the ownership proceeding beginning last year with a Notice of Inquiry. The Future of Media Report was supposed to have been released by the end of last year, but that date was missed, with several promises that it would be released soon. According to the Broadcasting and Cable website, it looks like the Report will be detailed at the FCC's open meeting on Thursday - though even after reading the FCC's Public Notice of the topics to be discussed at that meeting released last week, many observers (including this one) totally missed that announcement.
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