FCC’s Patrick Boosts Deregulation’s Effects

Asserting that deregulation has helped, not hurt broadcasters, the head of the Federal Communications Commission warned Thursday that a return to “heavy regulation” would be a “business disaster” for them.

With new technologies and the continuing growth of cable TV facing them, commercial broadcasters should view deregulation as a way to help them compete, added FCC Chairman Dennis R. Patrick.

“Rather than attempting to reconstruct the life of yesteryear, broadcasters should put their memories in the scrapbook and figure out how to beat, rather than avoid the competition,” he said.

Patrick’s speech, in part an endorsement of the Reagan Administration’s federal deregulation efforts over the past 7 1/2 years, was delivered at a luncheon of the International Radio and Television Society here.

Ticking off statistics that he said showed that cable and broadcasting alike have prospered under deregulation, he asserted that “removal of the regulatory bars to let in the fresh air of competition has proved to be a resounding success--for the electronic media, the advertisers and the public.”

He made no specific proposals for new action by the agency, but said the FCC “will continue to wrench the bars from the window.”

Patrick also warned against a return to some aspects of regulation that he said some broadcasters now seem to want. In a new television world of many channels, Patrick said, “the security offered by such regulation is illusory at best and would be bought at a tremendous price.”

The FCC’s deregulation moves since 1980 have included the dropping of its controversial Fairness Doctrine, ending its requirement that TV station licenses be held a minimum of three years and easing the restrictions on how many TV and radio stations a company can own.

The regulatory agency currently is considering dropping its 18-year-old ban on the ownership of cable TV systems by television networks, and recently made proposals on standards for the new high-definition television process that is in American television’s future--possibly first on cable.

Referring to CBS, NBC and ABC, Patrick said, “perhaps removal of some of our network rules would allow the ‘big three’ to move into the next century as real competitors, rather than forcing them to become curious dinosaurs.”

Those listening to his remarks included CBS Inc. President Lawrence Tisch, Capital Cities/ABC President Daniel Burke, and Patrick’s predecessor as FCC chairman Mark Fowler, who began the agency’s deregulation moves.

Patrick, appointed to the FCC by President Reagan in 1983, and its chairman since April, 1987, held a brief press conference after his speech, at which he told reporters he has no plans to leave the FCC until his term expires in June, 1992.

He refused to discuss how the outcome of the presidential elections might affect the FCC’s actions--including still-pending proposals to further ease or end restrictions on the broadcast industry.

“I have not and will not . . . speculate on how the election affects the commission,” Patrick said.