Tribune Asks Justices to Rule on FCC Case

Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times, and three television networks asked the Supreme Court to review a decision that blocked implementation of 2003 rules that loosened restrictions on media companies’ growth.

The Bush administration decided Thursday not to challenge an appeals court decision to have the Federal Communications Commission review its own media-ownership rules.

Lawyers who have argued before the Supreme Court said it was unlikely the court would accept the media companies’ petition now that the U.S. solicitor general has decided not to pursue the case. That would leave it to the FCC to follow the appeals court’s instructions to “justify or modify” the ownership rules.