The document is behind the times in some critical respects. The FCC initiated a proceeding on public interest obligations in 1999. It spun off children's televisision and public disclosure of programming as full blown rulemakings in 2000, and has a bunch of other issues pending.

The issue has found new life after the public dust-up on media ownership. A coalition of public interest organizations known as the Public Interest, Public Airwaves Coalition (http://www.pipac.info) has been pushing at the FCC and in Congress on the issue. FCC Commissioners are now saying that there will be action on the pending rulemakings this summer.