Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin apparently believes in the old showbiz line, “Always leave them wanting more.”

Martin’s proposed changes to the U.S. media ownership rules would help Tribune Co in its plan to go private in an $8.2 billion deal led by Chicago real estate mogul Sam Zell, several of us reported.

The idea is that, under Martin’s proposal, Tribune would not have to face splitting up its TV stations and newspapers in some of its biggest markets like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the idea only applies to the top 20 U.S. markets, which would leave Tribune high and dry in Hartford Connecticut, where it owns the Hartford Courant and the local CW and Fox affiliates.

Chief Executive Dennis FitzSimons told Tribune employees in a memo that the company will seek more changes under the media ownership rule, and just for good measure, fellow broadcaster and publisher Gannett weighed in with a statement a bit later.

Seems like Kevin Martin just can’t get any good press sometimes…