Visit the story link to read the complete op-ed written by Senators Hollings and Dorgan

For decades, our communications policy has imposed sensible restrictions on media ownership to promote and preserve multiple, independent voices. Unfortunately, the rules that protect this diversity are under assault: from regulators, judges and from the industry itself. This despite the fact that the rules in question have encouraged the growth of locally relevant, independent programmers and distributors of media content.

The industry claims that the current ownership restrictions are outmoded because of the proliferation of new media outlets. This argument fails to note that these restrictions are not based on narrow antitrust notions of competition. Rather, they are grounded in principles -- the promotion of diversity and localism -- that must be considered distinctly from our nation's competition laws.