Big Media's Power Grab

The concentration of information media into ever smaller number of hands is resulting in "info-tainment" in place of news, loss of diversity, loss of local coverage, loss of objectivity, and thought-control in place of an informed citizenry. This blog will highlight the campaigns for media reform. The FCC, headed by Bush-clone Kevin Martin, is trying to allow even more media concentration by killing the rule that forbids newspapers from buying TV stations or radio stations in the same area (cross-media). Citizens across the country told the FCC, told the House, and the Senate, that they didn't want this. They mobilized using town meetings and online petitions and videos like the following:



The House and Senate heard. The Senate has introduced legislation to delay or stop the abolition of this cross-media consolidation ban. But the full Senate won't be able to vote on it before 22 December and FCC Chair Martin has decided to go ahead and do the deal on 18 December. See Bill Moyers' story on this.

It seems we will have to begin a campaign in the '08 Congress to pass legislation breaking up media concentration and reintroduce the Fairness Doctrine. The public owns the airwaves: Media just get to use them in exchange for public service.