PROMETHEUS RADIO PROJECT v. FCC

Nos. 17-1107, 17-1109, 17-1110, 17-1111, Nos. 18-1092, 18-1669, 18-1670, 18-1671, 18-2943 & 18-3335.

939 F.3d 567 (2019)

PROMETHEUS RADIO PROJECT, National Association of Broadcasters Cox Media Group LLC, Intervenors v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION; United States of America Prometheus Radio Project and Media Mobilizing Project, Petitioners in No. 17-1107 Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Counsel and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, Inc., Petitioners in 17-1109 The Scranton Times, L.P., Petitioners in 17-1110 Bonneville International Corporation, Petitioners in 17-1111, Prometheus Radio Project, Media Mobilizing Project, Benton Foundation, Common Cause, Media Alliance, Media Council Hawaii, National Association of Broadcasters Employees and Technicians Communications Workers of America, National Organization for Woman Foundation, Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ Inc., Intervenors Prometheus Radio Project; Media Mobilizing Project, Petitioners (No. 18-1092, 18-2943) Independent Television Group, Petitioners (No. 18-1669) Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, Inc.; National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters, Petitioners (No. 18-1670, 18-3335) Free Press; Office of Communication, Inc. of the United Church of Christ; National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communications Workers of America; Common Cause, Petitioners (No. 18-1671) v. Federal Communications Commission; United States of America

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Opinion filed September 23, 2019.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Angela J. Campbell , Andrew J. Schwartzman , James T. Graves , Institute for Public Representation, Georgetown Law, 600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Suite 312, Washington, DC 20001, Counsel for Petitioners Prometheus Radio Project, Media Mobilizing Project, Counsel for Intervenor Respondents Benton Foundation, National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians Communication Workers of America, National Organization for Women Foundation, Office of Communication Inc. of the Church of Christ,

Cheryl A. Leanza (Argued) Best Best & Krieger, 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 5300, Washington, DC 20006, Counsel for Petitioners Prometheus Radio Project, Media Mobilizing Project, Office of Communication Inc. of the United Church of Christ, National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians Communications Workers of America, Common Cause.

Dennis Lane (Argued) David D'Alessandro , Stinson Leonard Street, 1775 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006, Counsel for Petitioner Multicultural Media Telecom and Internet Council National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, Inc.

Craig E. Gilmore , Kenneth E. Satten , Wilkinson Barker Knauer, 1800 M Street, N.W., Suite 800N, Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Petitioners Scranton Times LP, Bonneville International Corp.

Jack N. Goodman (Argued), Law Offices of Jack N. Goodman, 1200 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Petitioner Independent Television Group.

Jessica J. Gonzalez , Free Press, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1110, Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Petitioner Free Press.

Thomas M. Johnson, Jr. , General Counsel, David M. Gossett , Deputy General Counsel, Jacob M. Lewis (Argued), Associate General Counsel, James M. Carr , Matthew J. Dunne (Argued), William Scher , Richard K. Welch , Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20554, Counsel for Respondent Federal Communications Commission.

Makan Delrahim , Assistant Attorney General, Michael F. Murray , Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Nickolai Gilford Levin , Robert B. Nicholson , Robert J. Wiggers , United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division/Appellate Section, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004, Counsel for Respondent United States of America.

Helgi C. Walker (Argued), Andrew G. I. Kilberg , Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, 1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Intervenor Petitioner/Respondent National Association of Broadcasters.

Yosef Getachew , Common Cause, 805 15th Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent/Petitioner Common Cause.

David E. Mills , Cooley, 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004, Counsel for Intervenor Petitioner Cox Media Group LLC.

Kevin F. King , Rafael Reyneri , Andrew Soukup , Covington & Burling, 850 10th Street, N.W., One City Center, Washington, DC 20001, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent Fox Corp.

David D. Oxenford , Wilkinson Barker Knauer, 1800 M Street, N.W., Suite 800N, Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent Connoisseur Media LLC.

Paul A. Cicelski , S. Jenell Trigg , Lerman Senter, 2001 L Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent New Corp.

Eve Klindera , Reed Jeremy J. Broggi , Wiley Rein, 1776 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent Nextar Broadcasting Inc.

Jeetander T. Dulani , Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, 1200 17th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Intervenor Respondent Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.

Before: AMBRO, SCIRICA, and FUENTES, Circuit Judges


OPINION OF THE COURT

Here we are again. After our last encounter with the periodic review by the Federal Communications Commission (the "FCC" or the "Commission") of its broadcast ownership rules and diversity initiatives, the Commission has taken a series of actions that, cumulatively, have substantially changed...

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