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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Federal Communication Commission to loosen local media ownership restrictions, handing a victory to broadcasters in a ruling that could facilitate industry consolidation as consumers increasingly move online.
FILE PHOTO: The Supreme Court is seen in Washington, U.S., December 11, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo
In a 9-0 ruling authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the justices overturned a lower court decision that had blocked the FCC’s repeal of some media ownership regulations in 2017 for failing to consider the effects on ownership by racial minorities and women. Critics of the industry have said further consolidation could limit media choices for consumers.
A Russian newspaper that has exposed official corruption and human rights abuses urged Moscow city authorities on Tuesday to investigate what it said was an attack on its offices with a chemical substance.
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WARSAW, March 2 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Polish regional newspaper publisher Polska Press has quit following its purchase by state-run oil refiner PKN Orlen, a takeover the opposition sees as part of efforts by the ruling party to assert control over the media.
Polska Press said in a statement released on Tuesday that CEO Dorota Stanek had submitted her resignation after PKN Orlen completed its takeover of the group from Germany’s Verlagsgruppe Passau.
PKN Orlen describes the deal as just a business transaction, but opposition political parties have portrayed it as part of a wider project by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party to tighten control of the media in the European Union member state.
Lobbyists for Facebook and Google threw their weight against new U.S. legislation that seeks to aid struggling news publishers by allowing them to negotiate collectively against the tech companies over revenue sharing and other deals.
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BERLIN (Reuters) - European broadcaster RTL confirmed on Friday it was exploring the sale of its controlling stake in French broadcaster Groupe M6, as it reported a 26% slide in annual core profit due to the coronavirus pandemic.
FILE PHOTO: German media group Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe arrives for the annual news conference in Berlin, Germany, March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/File Photo
Chief Executive Thomas Rabe said he saw a strong case for consolidation in the European media industry - in particular for in-country TV merger deals - as U.S. streaming giants increasingly capture the attention of viewers.