• The Washington Post, Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12 PM

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission yesterday proposed relaxing an agency rule to allow big-city newspapers to buy the smaller television stations in their markets, a move designed as a compromise in the ongoing issue of corporate control of the airwaves.

Under Chairman Kevin Martin's plan, set for a commission vote Dec. 18, newspapers in the nation's 20-largest media markets could buy one radio or television station in their cities, if certain conditions apply. The station could not be among the four most-watched in the market, essentially preventing newspapers from buying popular stations affiliated with ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox.

While companies like Tribune and Belo applaud the move, but anti-consolidation groups vehemently disagreed, saying it would place too much power in the hands of a few moguls.

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