stop big media consolidation

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

Go to this URL to register an online protest and 
get more info.  Deadline for the FCC vote is Jan 16...

http://www.stopbigmedia.com/

The F.C.C. wants to change the rules to let 
multibillion dollar media companies like News 
Corp, Viacom, Disney and Time Warner get even 
bigger. They're preparing to let giant media 
corporations buy up more local TV channels, radio 
stations and newspapers across America.

The largest media conglomerates rake in billions 
by owning TV stations, cable channels, 
newspapers, radio stations, publishing houses and more.



The F.C.C. wants to change the rules to let 
multibillion dollar media companies like News 
Corp, Viacom, Disney and Time Warner get even 
bigger. They're preparing to let giant media 
corporations buy up more local TV channels, radio 
stations and newspapers across America.

The largest media conglomerates rake in billions 
by owning TV stations, cable channels, 
newspapers, radio stations, publishing houses and more.


<http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog/?p=66>New 
Studies Dismantle Big Media Case for Consolidation

January 12th, 2007

Reverend Jesse Jackson joined an alliance of 
civil rights and consumer groups today in Memphis 
to call on the FCC to halt media concentration 
and promote minority media ownership.

During an event at the 
<http://www.freepress.net/conference>National 
Conference for Media Reform, the alliance 
released a 
<http://www.stopbigmedia.com/=research>slate of 
new studies that pointedly refute Big Media?s 
arguments for further consolidation.

The studies were delivered to the FCC with a 
letter signed by more than a dozen civil rights, 
consumer and media groups. The groundbreaking 
research was also made available to the public on 
the <http://www.stopbigmedia.com/=research>StopBigMedia.com Coalition Web site.

The six new studies on dismantle Big Media?s case 
for abandoning the ownership protections that 
currently prevent media conglomerates from 
swallowing up even more local outlets.

They include an exposé of the National 
Association of Broadcasters? fraudulent financial 
reporting on commercial broadcasters, and an 
analysis of news consumption online ­ where the 
top Internet news sites are owned by the same 
giants that control the rest of the media.

Among other demands, the coalition letter urges 
the FCC to stop further concentration of media 
ownership until it has taken the necessary steps 
to promote minority and female ownership of broadcast stations.

Groups signing the letter include Consumer 
Federation of America, Consumers Union, Free 
Press, Industry Ears, Media Access Project, 
MALDEF, Media Alliance, NAACP California, 
National Association of Hispanic Journalists, 
National Black Programming Consortium National 
Council of La Raza, National Hispanic Media 
Coalition, National Organization for Women, 
Rainbow/PUSH, R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop, and United Church of Christ.

Follow the latest developments at the Memphis 
conference via the blog: 
<http://www.freepress.net/conference>www.freepress.net/conference





Tell the FCC to Stop Big Media

The FCC wants to lift media ownership rules and 
open the floodgates to wholesale consolidation of 
local newspaper, radio and television outlets. 
The FCC needs to hear from you before they hand 
over local media to concentrated giants like News 
Corp., General Electric and Clear Channel. Big 
Media's drive to control local outlets stifles 
the competition and diversity that are the 
lifeblood of a democratic media system.

Use the form below to file your comments with the 
FCC. Use the text provided or write your own 
comments about how greater media consolidation will affect your community.

Note: Information filed on this form will be 
publicly available, as FCC comments are 
considered a matter of public record. The FCC 
does not accept comments from outside the United 
States. Comments are due January 16.

I am writing to express my strong disapproval of 
any relaxation or elimination of the public 
interest limits on media ownership. Localism and 
diversity are the cornerstones of a democratic 
media system, and we cannot afford to compromise them in any way.

Limits on media consolidation have been a bulwark 
against the concentration of economic power in 
the marketplace of ideas -- a critical part of 
balancing the public service mission of the media 
with their private profit motive. Our democracy 
requires the free flow of information from a broad range of diverse voices.

Any public policy seeking to protect diversity in 
the media must recognize the simple fact that 
ownership matters. Media consolidation has 
already led to declines in local and minority 
ownership as well as the homogenization of 
content in radio and television. Permitting 
cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast 
stations, or allowing further concentration in 
local television markets, will only worsen the problems we already have.

When the FCC attempted to weaken and remove media 
ownership limits in 2003, millions of Americans 
rose up in protest. Congress and the courts 
ultimately intervened to turn back that misguided regulatory process.

Now that these same rules are being reconsidered, 
the FCC should stand firm with the public against 
further concentration of media ownership in the 
hands of the few. A vote against media consolidation is a vote for democracy.