The FCC has announced the panelists for its Jan. 12 workshop
on financial issues facing broadcasters and one voice of experience will be
Brandon Burgess, head of Ion Media Networks, which last month finished its
restructuring following its bankruptcy filing.
Burgess will be the lone broadcaster, at least so far, in
the first panel of the two-panel workshop, the first of which will be devoted
to issues facing larger-market broadcasters--Ion is the nation's largest TV
station owner with 59 full-power stations.
The second panel will deal with financial issues of
smaller-market broadcasters.
In addition to Burgess, panel one participants will be James
Cotter of Sun Trust Bank, Brian Rich or Catalyst Investors, and Marci Ryvicker
of Wells Fargo.
Panel two will feature Susan Patrick of Patrick
Communications, Maria De Leon of KXTD Gaytan Broadcasting Media, Rick Peters of
Bluewater Broadcasting, and Terry Jones of Syncom Funds.
The FCC says other panelists could be added.
The workshop is part of the commission's ongoing quadrennial
review of its media ownership rules.
