MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1754) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission to consider market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals in the communications marketplace report under section 13 of such Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1754.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1754, the Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2021, or the MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021.

This bill promotes much-needed diversity in the communications marketplace. It does this by requiring the Federal Communications Commission, with the input of its Office of Communications Business Opportunities, to consider market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals in the communications marketplace.

Currently, there are vast inequities in the communications marketplace. While women and people of color make up over 50 percent of our population, broadcast ownership by them is only about 10 percent. That is extremely concerning, Mr. Speaker, when you think that media outlets can influence people's opinions and perceptions through the programming decisions that are made.

Diversity in ownership of media outlets helps to ensure that programming offers different perspectives and that viewers have access to programming that is relevant to them. Experts have also found that ownership diversity can provide financial and competitive benefits. But in a concentrated communications marketplace, barriers for entry still exist, and the Federal Communications Commission is already tasked with studying what those barriers are. This bill asks the FCC to also consider market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals.

Creating ownership parity to reflect this country's diversity is a worthy goal, and this bipartisan effort is a step in identifying market entry barriers.

To be clear, there is so much more that we need to do, Mr. Speaker. While incremental steps are critical, we must do more. I look forward to working with my colleagues to take additional steps to diversify our media market.

I commend Representatives Long and Veasey for their bipartisan work on this legislation. I hope we can now come together in a bipartisan fashion to do the additional work that is needed to finally eliminate the barriers so that the owners of our media outlets begin to look more like the communities that they serve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 277, a resolution introduced by our colleague, Mrs. Demings.

This resolution reaffirms the commitment by Congress to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to find common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to expanding diversity in our media. While today's resolution focuses specifically on broadcast stations, this problem is not unique to one segment of the industry, but to their cable and digital streaming competitors in the marketplace as well.

I appreciate the many steps that the broadcast and cable industries have taken to not only recognize these barriers, but the many programs and initiatives they have put in place to promote opportunities for women, minorities, and veterans. However, data shows we have some room for improvement.

While the House is considering this resolution today, it is my hope that we can work together in a bipartisan manner to address the inequality that this resolution seeks to address. Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have put forward solutions to uplift minority voices and promote media diversity that can breathe life into this resolution before us today.

Today, we are also considering H.R. 1754, the MEDIA Diversity Act, sponsored by Mr. Long, which would help us better understand the market and regulatory barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals to enter and compete in the marketplace so we can make informed policy decisions.

We have also worked with advocates and industry alike as we try and find consensus on legislation to establish the long-sought-after broadcast incubator program to help increase the number of minority- owned broadcast stations.

Last Congress, Republicans introduced the Broadcast Diversity in Leadership Act, which would incentivize large, established broadcasters to work with aspiring broadcasters to break down barriers to capital and provide mentorship and experience to new minority entrants to ensure their longstanding success in serving their local communities.

While the Supreme Court has recently reinstated the Republican-led pilot program, Congress should continue working to ensure it is expanded and made permanent with improved safeguards. We urge the majority to continue working with us on these important issues.

With the passage of this resolution, we are affirming our commitment to work toward common ground solutions, and Republicans stand ready to work across the aisle to turn our common ground solutions into law.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H. Res. 277, I ask the House for its passage today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 277) reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 277.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 277, reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.

This resolution promotes much-needed diversity in the communications marketplace where we continue to see vast inequities. For example, the owners of broadcast and cable media outlets do not reflect our diverse population. Owners of these media outlets make critical decisions about the educational, political, entertainment, and news programming Americans watch. These decisions can influence people's opinions and perceptions.

Mr. Speaker, diversity in viewpoints and diverse ownership of media outlets promotes programming that offers different perspectives and enables viewers to access programming that is relevant to them. A diverse media marketplace is also central to an informed and engaged electorate which is essential to a vibrant democracy.

Committing to a diverse media marketplace--one that reflects our Nation--is a worthy goal, and this resolution reaffirms that goal.

Today's resolution is a good step forward, but there is much more we need to do. The numbers and statistics are clear: our media marketplace does not resemble the people we serve.

I want to commend Representative Demings for her work on this resolution and for continuing to bring attention to not only the lack of diversity in our media outlets, but also the impact that it has on our communities and on our Nation. I hope we can come together to do the additional work that is needed to improve the state of diversity today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings), who is the sponsor of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1754, the MEDIA Diversity Act, introduced by my colleague from Missouri, Representative Long. This legislation represents another step forward to uplift minority voices and promote diversity in the media marketplace.

I understand how important it is to serve communities with local programming that accurately reflects a community's population. I have also seen the media industry make great strides to promote diversity and create new content to appeal to the communities they serve by establishing programs and initiatives to promote opportunities for women, minorities, veterans, elderly, and other socially disadvantaged individuals to participate in the media marketplace.

Of course, the media industry is only one small part of a vast communications marketplace that encompasses a large variety of organizations, including mobile wireless providers, online video distributors, fixed broadband providers, and so on.

It is also important to keep in mind that there are new entrants in the tech industry who are providing additional opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, and underrepresented groups who might not have been heard before to make their voices heard.

Nonetheless, there is still work to do to make sure that those previously unheard voices and underserved communities are represented in traditional media and all other areas of the large communications marketplace, and this legislation will help.

I am glad to support this piece of bipartisan legislation that will allow the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate the market barriers socially disadvantaged individuals face in the communications marketplace as a whole.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, again, I urge all Members to support this piece of legislation. It is very important. It was introduced by our colleague, Mr. Long from Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for this opportunity.

We all know the United States is a diverse nation with diverse people, diverse viewpoints, and diverse perspectives. Every community in America--no matter their age, gender, ZIP Code, or income--should be allowed to tell their stories in their voices.

Whether in news, movies, television, music, or more, it is important that our media represent the wonderful diversity of our great Nation. This resolution simply states that all Americans should have the opportunity to tell their story and hear their story told through their own eyes and voices.

I am glad that our resolution reaffirming Congress' support of media diversity will be voted on this afternoon. As we work together to remove barriers, I am grateful to all of the congressional cosponsors on both sides of the aisle and media representatives who helped move this bill forward.

Every child in America should hear a voice that sounds like theirs and see a face that looks like theirs. As we face some of America's greatest challenges, I am excited about the work still yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues again on both sides of the aisle for their support of this resolution.