Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) today issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation unanimously passed his bipartisan Local TV Act as an amendment to the satellite reauthorization bill, the Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act (STAVRA).
Sen. Booker’s amendment, co-sponsored by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), requires the Federal Communications Commission to examine media markets and make recommendations on how to improve access to local television programming in areas served by out-of-state media markets.
“New Jersey is one of only two states in the country without its own media market, depriving our residents of access to quality local news programming. I look forward to the FCC’s report and recommendations to Congress and will continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make improvements that effectively address this critical disadvantage.”