Washington - One of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) five commissioners has asked FCC chairman Kevin Martin to open an inquiry into News Corporation's (NYSE: NWS) proposed $5.6 billion acquisition of Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ)  and The Wall Street Journal, Broadcasting & Cable reported.

Michael Copps, a Democrat, argued that the deal would give News Corp. ownership of two newspapers and two TV stations in New York.

"It will create a single company with enormous influence over politics, art and culture across the nation and especially in the New York metropolitan area," Copps wrote.

The FCC is not currently reviewing the deal, as The Journal is considered a "national" newspaper -- and as such its ownership would not affect competition in the local New York market.

But in his letter to Martin, Copps asks, "whether approval of this transaction accords with our public interest responsibilities and whether existing media ownership rules and precedents are adequate to deal with this proposed transaction."

Copps says the FCC should make an inquiry into the deal based on the FCC's responsibility to "consider the public-interest implications for localism, diversity and competition."

FCC chairman Martin, a Republican, will have the final say on whether any inquiry into the deal is hatched.

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2lh3jb (PDF of Copps' letter)

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6494541.html