Second Battle of Seattle? FCC Democrats call short notice for Seattle hearing "outrageous"

"We are troubled by the speed at which you are attempting to complete the proceeding," the two politicians wrote to the FCC today. "We urge you to give at least four weeks advance notice before the Seattle hearing, in order to allow the public time to arrange plans to attend and prepare testimony."

The FCC's two Democrats reacted to today's announcement with undisguised anger.

"A hearing with only five [business] days notice is no nirvana for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest," Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein wrote. "This smells like mean spirit. Clearly, the rush is on to push media consolidation to a quick and ill-considered vote. It shows there is a preordained outcome. Pressure from the public and their elected representatives is ignored. With such short notice, many people will be shut out. We received notice of the hearing just moments before it was announced. This is outrageous and not how important media policy should be made."

Despite the short notice, groups like Reclaim the Media are organizing Seattle residents to testify at the event. And KPFA radio in Berkeley, California will provide live coverage of the hearing.

Tensions are high in and around the FCC as the Commission's Chair Kevin Martin appears to be rushing to complete the agency's media ownership proceeding. Up for revision are rules preventing a company from owning a TV station and a newspaper in the same city, more than one TV station in the same region, and limits on how many radio stations an entity can own in a single market. News reports suggest that Martin and his two fellow Republican Commissioners will propose new media ownership regulations some time in mid-December.

This is not the first hearing that Martin has launched with very little public notice. On October 31st the Commission hosted a hearing on localism in broadcasting—announced just five business days before the event.