News Broadcasting
FCC ownership rules receive setback from Senate
MUMBAI: Critics have called it the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to aid media giants like Viacom, News Corporation and Disney to completely control several parts of America’s television and newspaper landscape.
But now critics have something to cheer about following the double whammy the FCC received this week over its decision to relax media ownership rules in the US.
It was in June that the FCC commissioners voted three to two to allow US broadcast networks such as NBC and ABC to buy more stations at the national and local levels. The FCC had also lifted the ban preventing a newspaper from buying a television station in the same city.
However yesterday, a US Senate panel voted to stop the FCC from enforcing the relaxed provisions for a year. This comes on the heels of the Third US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia granting a stay on the ruling, a couple of days ago, till a thorough judicial review of the legislation has been made.
At the moment, media companies cannot own local television stations that reach more than 35 per cent of the US population. FCC had elected to hike that limit to 45 per cent. Recently the New York Times had noted that News Corp’s Fox and Viacom’s CBS already exceeded the 35 per cent cut off mark.
Over the past few months, the Senate has been under pressure to block the FCC proposal from several advocacy groups including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Organisation for Women and Common Cause. The Congress is said to be pursuing a rare exercise of its power to override executive branch decisions.
While federal agencies must fulfil their job, if an agency oversteps or badly missteps the Congress, the courts can rein it in as has been the case here. It has also been reported that Senator Byron L Dorgan, who opposes the new rules, plans to introduce the ‘resolution of disapproval’. This is a tool that Congress can use to overthrow agency regulations. If passed, it would nullify all the FCC’s June rulings.
If the resolution of disapproval is voted down, Dorgan plans to introduce an amendment that would restore the ban preventing cross-ownership of newspapers and television stations in the same city. The broadcast networks were pressing for an elimination or significant relaxation of the rules as they wanted to compete with cable and satellite providers. The FCC could file an appeal in the US Supreme Court or accept defeat and hand the issue over to the Congress to legislate on.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
