Local media organizations, he has argued, would have a greater shot at competing against those internet giants by combining resources in local markets. “It’s a simple proposition: The media ownership regulations of 2017 should match the media marketplace of 2017,” Mr. Pai said on Thursday. And it’s about time.”Democrats on the commission said that rolling back the rules would hurt people who relied on local stations for news coverage. Private equity investors who have purchased television stations and newspapers to flip them for a profit are also expected to take advantage of the changes. “Our media ownership numbers are already dismally low,” said Carmen Scurato, the director for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes greater diversity in media.

Source: New York Times November 16, 2017 18:59 UTC