ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210096
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
Negotiators resolved a dispute over media ownership Wednesday, removing the last major hurdle to an overhaul of laws governing the nation's communications industry.
Once approved by Congress, the White House pledged to sign the legislation into law.
Clinton, who had threatened to veto earlier provisions of the measure, will sign what Gore called ``a centrist bill for the 21st century.''
Congressional negotiators trying to resolve differences between Senate and House versions of the bill had been hung up for days over how much freedom to give newspaper-broadcasting-cable companies to increase their holdings.
Gore said the compromise reached Wednesday ``prevents undue concentration [of media ownership] while providing additional flexibility.'' The administration had threatened that Clinton would veto the bill if it didn't contain tough safeguards against ownership concentration. - Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 29 linesby CNB