Media moguls lose one

Philadelphia

A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has put a hold on new rules that would let media giants control more of the nation’s broadcast stations and newspapers. The Federal Communications Commission voted in June to allow companies to own TV stations reaching 45 percent of the national audience, up from 35 percent. The FCC also dropped a ban on companies owning newspapers and broadcast stations in the same city. Opponents say the changes would allow a few giant companies to control over what people see, hear, and read. The industry argues that the looser rules are necessary so broadcasters can more effectively compete with cable, satellite TV, and the Internet. The judicial stay preserves the current rules until the court conducts its own review. Deregulation critics are also gaining ground in Congress, where both houses are moving to block key FCC provisions.