Since 1996, the FCC has continued on its course of deregulating media ownership. In 2003, the agency attempted its most dramatic deregulation yet, allowing cross-media ownership. That is, owning broadcast and print media within the same local market. But after a federal court struck down many of the deregulations (and the Supreme Court refused to hear multiple appeals), the FCC was told to revisit its reasoning behind relaxing its media ownership rules.

Now, the FCC appears to be ready to try this again. Chairman Kevin J. Martin has announced that he wants a vote on cross-media deregulation in the next two months.

The last time the FCC tried this, it was flooded with 3,000,000 public comments against the rule change, it went ahead with it anyway and a federal court threw out the new rules.

What will happen this time?

More on:
FCC’s new plans for deregulation here.
Promethius Radio Group (anti-deregulation activist group that won its case against the FCC’s 2003 rules) here.
Hey, I wrote a paper about the FCC and the public interest in grad school! It’s right here.

What’s special about tomorrow is that the FCC is weighing a request from an unlikely telecom player: Google. The company would like to see a huge change in the way the FCC regulates wireless airwaves, and has promised a bid of at least $4.6 billion if its conditions are met.

Could this spell the end for frustrating cell phone limitations? Or will it just mean you’re going to get bombarded by Google advertising? Stay tuned.

More on:
Google’s plan and brief lobbying history here.
Live audio/video link to tomorrow’s FCC meeting here (begins 10am Eastern).