As part of the FCC’s most recent media ownership proceeding, the Media Bureau last week released a Request for Quotation for nine planned economic studies that it hopes will help it evaluate the current media marketplace. The Public Notice, available here, includes a list of the planned studies, including a study of local content on the Internet, an empirical analysis of the impact of local market structure on viewpoint diversity and several studies on the quantity of local news and public affairs programming.

Additionally, the FCC is seeking recommendations for other studies related to the media ownership proceeding. Suggestions are due by July 7, 2010, and should include well-defined performance metrics as well as a specific proposal relating to competition, localism or diversity. The recommendations may be submitted to the FCC, under MB Docket No. 09-182, via the Electronic Comment Filing System at www.fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/, or the eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.

For further information on the FCC’s media ownership proceeding, the relevant Notice of Inquiry is available at www.fcc.gov/ownership/.