CAPITAL CITIES/ABC, INC. v. F.C.C.

Nos. 93-3458, 93-4001, 93-4002, 93-4015, 93-4075 and 94-1111.

29 F.3d 309 (1994)

CAPITAL CITIES/ABC, INCORPORATED, Schurz Communications, Incorporated, Quincy Broadcasting Company, et al., Petitioners, v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION and United States of America, Respondents. CBS, Incorporated, Association of Independent Television Stations Incorporated, National Broadcasting Company, Incorporated, et al., Intervenors.

United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit.

Decided July 12, 1994.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

J. Roger Wollenberg, Joel Rosenbloom, Louis R. Cohen (argued), Jonathan Jacob Nadler, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, Washington, DC, Stephan Weiswassen, Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., New York City, for Capital Cities/ABC, Inc.

Richard D. Bonewitz, William N. Farabaugh, Farabaugh & Chapleau, South Bend, IN, for Schurz Communications, Inc.

Steven E. Siebers, Scholz, Loos, Palmer, Siebers & Duesterhaus, Quincy, IL, for Quincy Broadcasting Co.

Andrew J. Schwartzman, Gigi B. Sohn, Media Access Project, Washington, DC, for Arizona Consumers Council and Foundation for Independent Filmakers.

Ian D. Volner (argued), N. Frank Wiggins, Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti, Jonathan Berkhahn, King World Productions, New York City, for King World Productions, Inc.

Daniel M. Armstrong (argued), Sue Ann Kanter, Renee Licht, C. Grey Pash, and William Kennard, F.C.C., Washington, DC, for F.C.C.

Catherine G. O'Sullivan, Dept. of Justice, Civ. Div., Appellate Section, Nancy C. Garrison, Dept. of Justice, Antitrust Div., Appellate Section, Janet Reno, U.S. Atty. Gen., Washington, DC, Barbara Z. Brook, Asst. U.S. Atty., South Bend, IN, for U.S.

Richard E. Wiley, Lawrence W. Secrest, III, Ellen O. Kaden, Daniel E. Troy, Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Washington, DC, David L. Shapiro, Cambridge, MA, for CBS, Inc.

James J. Popham (argued), Ass'n of Independent Television Stations, Inc., Washington, DC, for Association of Independent Television Stations, Inc.

Richard Cotton, Ellen Shaw Agress, National Broadcasting Co., New York City, Michael McConnell, Mayer, Brown & Platt, Chicago, IL, Michael Kellogg and Jeffrey A. Lamken, Kellogg, Huber & Hansen, Howard Monderer, National Broadcasting Co., Washington, DC, for National Broadcasting Co., Inc.

John D. Lane, Robert M. Gurss, Wilkes, Artis, Hedrick & Lane, Washington, DC, for Program Producers and Distributors Committee.

William S. Reyner, Jr., Mace J. Rosenstein, Hogan & Hartson, Washington, DC, George Vradenburg, III, Fox Inc., Los Angeles, CA, for Fox Broadcasting Co.

Richard R. Zaragoza, Fisher, Wayland, Cooper & Leader, Washington, DC, for FBC Television Affiliates Ass'n.

Charles J. Sennet, James E. Cushing, Jr., Tribune Co., Chicago, IL, for Tribune Broadcasting Co.

George H. Shapiro, Marilyn D. Sonn, Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, DC, for Chris Craft Television, Inc., and United Television, Inc.

Diane S. Killory (argued), Linda Calhoun, Susan H. Crandall, Michael R. Gardner, Charles R. Milkis, W. Stephen Smith, Morrison & Foerster, Washington, DC, for Coalition To Preserve the Financial Interest and Syndication Rule.

Before POSNER, Chief Judge, and FAIRCHILD and BAUER, Circuit Judges.


POSNER, Chief Judge.

In 1970, the Federal Communications Commission issued "finsyn" (financial interest and syndication) rules designed to limit the power of the then three television networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) in the market for television programs. The rules were upheld in Mt. Mansfield Television, Inc. v. FCC, 442 F.2d 470 (2d Cir.1971). The Commission issued revised finsyn rules in 1991, which the networks challenged in...

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