MISC> Comments About Rules limiting the size of big media corporations.

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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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Subject: Talking Points for your Senators!
To: prometheusdelivered@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 16:47:50 -0500 (EST)
From: hannahjs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Here's some background on media consolidation and how it is being reviewed
at the FCC.  Michael Copps, an FCC Commissioner, raises interesting
questions about consolidation that you could discuss in your phonecalls
with Senators today and tomorrow!

Thanks to Media Tank for this information!  You can find this information
on the web, as well, at:  http://www.mediatank.org/ownership.html


Many Thanks!

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* * * * *
On September 13, 2001, just two days after the terrorist attacks, the FCC
initiated a review of several key rules limiting the size of big media 
corporations.

Then on September 12, 2002 the FCC combined the 2001 review with all its
remaining broadcast ownership rules in the biggest review of ownership
rules in its history.

At stake are a handful of ownership rules that seek to protect localism,
independence, and diversity in the media.

However bad some may think the media is now, it is likely to get much
worse if the FCC eliminates these rules.

Some of the rules currently under review are:

 -- Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule -- limits a single
corporation from owning both a broadcast station and newspaper in the same
community.

 -- Dual Network Rule --  prevents any two of the major TV networks (ABC,
NBC, CBS, FOX) from merging

 -- National Broadcast Ownership Cap -- prevents a single company from
owning multiple broadcast stations that collectively reach more than 35
percent of all US households.


A detailed view of all the rules and their ramifications is available here:
http://mediaaccess.org/programs/diversity/fcc.html#proceeding

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps states, "With such important values at
stake, we ought to give parties the time to provide detailed data,
granular evidence and studied analysis. I am disappointed in the extreme
and alarmed at the prospect of forging ahead to dismantle the limits and
caps before we fully understand the effects of such action."

Commissioner Copps puts forward the following outstanding questions yet to
be answered by the FCC's studies (and would be good questions to address
in your public comments):

 -- If we eliminate our remaining media concentration rules, what will be
the effect on the localism, diversity, and independence that have
traditionally undergirded the democratic process? This fundamental and
obvious question remains unaddressed.

 -- As part of this, what does the massive consolidation of the radio
and the current state of radio quality and diversity tell us about what
will happen if we eliminate our remaining rules? And, how much news and
public affairs programming was broadcast in the years immediately before
and after elimination of FCC radio ownership rules?

 -- What effects have recent mergers, radio consolidation, and TV
duopolies had on the personnel and resources devoted to news, public
affairs, and public service programming, and on the output of such
programming? Will eliminating our rules result in a crisis in these areas?

 -- Do newspapers and co-owned broadcast stations carry similar viewpoints
more frequently than independent newspapers and broadcast stations? If so,
and if we eliminate our rules, what are the implications for democracy and
debate in America?

 -- How do consolidation and co-ownership affect the mediaÕs focus on
issues important to minorities and to the objective of diversity?

 -- What are the effects of new technologies on the consolidation issue?
Digital broadcast, for example, will provide existing station owners with
the ability to multi-cast several programs simultaneously. This alone
augments their influence. What are the effects of this on competition?

Why Ownership Rules Matter
 -- Impact on democracy -- If one company can own a town's local
newspaper, TV and radio stations, if national TV networks can merge their
news operations, if nothing limits the size of these huge corporations, we
will get a more limited view on the news. Issues that matter can be more
easily buried or distorted, and differing viewpoints will not be heard.

 -- Diversity of creativity, art, culture, vision -- We don't need
censorship to combat violent, sexist, racist, commercialized, unoriginal
mediaÑwe need access for independent producers to offer alternatives. We
need choices -- not more channels from the same owners.

 -- Labor rights and minority ownership -- Fewer media companies means
fewer jobs for media workers. Media ownership by people of color and women
is down and getting worse as a result of consolidation.

 -- Freedom of the 'Net -- If the media giants have their way, even the
Internet will be controlled by monopolies who can limit how we access the
Internet, as well as monitor and charge us for everything we view.

 -- Localism and community -- Without local owners and local newsrooms,
media are disconnected from communities. Clear Channel radio uses digital
tricks to make the same DJ sound local in dozens of different cities. The
bigger these companies get, the ess likely they are to cover local issues
or feature local artists.

 -- Corporate accountability -- With the recent wave of corporate
malfeasance (especially in the media sector) we need watchdogs now more
than ever -- not media run by corporate honchos concerned only about their
stock price.

 -- The Fate of Journalism -- Ownership consolidation means fewer foreign
news bureaus, investigative reporters and resources for journalists.
Mega-media's main goal is profit, which undermines any sense of public or
civic duty.

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