WASHINGTON - The White House said on Thursday it would fight in Congress to strip out language in a bill that would prevent television broadcasters from owning local stations that collectively reach more than 35 percent of the national audience.

The Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission on June 2 voted to raise that cap to 45 percent, but the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved an annual spending measure that included a provision rolling it back to 35 percent.

The Bush administration said it would try to strip out the provision when House and Senate leaders negotiate the final version of the spending bill. But there is also bipartisan support for the lower limit in the Senate.

"We are going to work with the Congress to try to fix that in conference," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters traveling with President Bush en route to Philadelphia.

Two of the television networks, Viacom Inc.'s CBS and News Corp. Ltd.'s Fox are both over the 35 percent cap and oppose attempts to roll back the new, higher ownership cap along with Walt Disney Co.'s ABC and General Electric Co.'s NBC.

Because of the provision, the White House has threatened to veto the $37.9 billion spending bill which includes annual funding for the FCC as well as the Commerce, Justice and State Departments.

Copyright 2003 Reuters Ltd

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