June 10, 2003 -- Vienna, Va. – Newspaper Association of America President and CEO John F. Sturm issued the following statement today on the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal or significantly relax the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership ban in many markets across the country. “NAA applauds the Federal Communications Commission for its decision. While full repeal continues to be NAA’s ultimate goal, we believe the Commission, for the first time in more than 25 years, took a significant step today to loosen significantly the regulatory shackles that have prohibited a daily newspaper from owning a broadcast station in the same market. “The relaxation of the rules will allow newspaper-owned broadcast stations to offer more and better local news and public service programming, as well as all-news formats to radio markets of all sizes. It will positively impact competition in local markets and provide healthy and diverse competition to large radio station owners. Local audiences will be the big winners.” NAA is disappointed the Commission did not fully repeal the ban, Sturm said, and will continue to urge the FCC to fully repeal the ban in all markets, regardless of size. Over the last six years, NAA has filed evidence in numerous FCC proceedings in support of full repeal.