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Big Media Consolidation, Part II
December 18, 2007 12:52 AM

Back in 2003, the FCC, under the Bush Administration, voted to alter the rules of media consolidation making it easier for the largest companies to swallow-up smaller competition:

Citing a need to update the decades-old rules to reflect new sources of entertainment, information and news, the FCC also voted to lift a ban that prevents a company from owning both a newspaper and a television or radio station -- except in the smallest markets.

Companies could own two television stations in most markets as long as they are not both in the top four, based on ratings. Additionally, a company could own three stations in markets where there are at least 18 stations, like Los Angeles.

"I have heard the concerns expressed by the public about excessive consolidation," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said ahead of the vote. "They have introduced a note of caution in the choices we have made."

"Keeping the rules exactly as they are, as some so stridently suggest, was not a viable option," Powell added. "Without today's surgery, the rules will assuredly meet a swift death."


What happened next? Congress voted 400-21 to roll back Powell's new rules in July of 2003:

By a 400-to-21 vote, lawmakers approved a spending bill for the FCC and other agencies that included language blocking the FCC from approving any business deals that would allow a single company to own stations reaching more than 35 percent of the national audience.

The FCC recently passed new regulations that would have allowed a media company to expand ownership of TV stations in a single market and expand its collective reach of U.S. households to 45 percent. The previous cap was 35 percent.

The five-member FCC narrowly approved the new rules on a 3-to-2, party-line vote on June 2.


Well, the FCC Chairman is at it again,insisting on vote to come later today that would ease restrictions in place that prevent further media consolidation:

Despite a groundswell of public opposition and the disapproval of bipartisan members of Congress, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin plans to vote tomorrow on rules that will let the largest companies swallow up more local media across the country.

"FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is ignoring the public and defying the wishes of Congress," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, the group that coordinates StopBigMedia.com. "Like Michael Powell before him, Martin is opposed by 99 percent of Americans - judging by comments filed at the FCC - who think Big Media is already big enough."

Bill Moyers has a further synopsis of what's going on at his website, along with links to many of the Senate hearings on this issue:

"This proposal would allow a newspaper to purchase a broadcast station - but not one of the top four television station - in the largest 20 cities in the country as long as 8 independent voices remain. This relatively minor loosening of the ban on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership in markets where there are so many voices and sufficient competition would help strike a balance between ensuring the quality of local news gathering while guarding against too much concentration."

Yet after 6 public hearings on proposed changes, the latest in Seattle on November 9 that lasted until 1 in the morning, public opinion appears to be overwhelmingly opposed to relaxing the rules. "We told you a year ago when you came to Seattle...What part of that didn't you understand?" stated area resident Susan McCabe at the hearing.

Most likely scenario? Despite the urging by 25 Senators to delay the vote, this young punk, Kevin Martin, will force a vote today that the Republican majority on the panel will win (3-2). It will then be contested in the courts and Congress will be forced, yet again, to slap back these overzealous FCC chairmen who are oh, so willing, to sell our media to the highest bidder. What a waste of time!

Yet, you must express your outrage so that we can keep independent the Fourth Estate in this country.

Join the Free Press Action Network and do the Push Back against Corporate Media!


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