Fight for Media Democracy!

The Bush Administration and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are attempting to further loosen the rules on corporate media monopolies, allowing for even more consolidation of radio, TV, and newspaper ownership. And they have been holding only a handful of public hearings around the country in the process.

New FCC rules, adopted in June 2003, have been put on hold by several court challenges. They would allow a single corporation to own up to eight radio stations, three TV stations, the cable company, and the only newspaper in a town or city. Media giant ClearChannel already owns more than 1200 radio stations around the country, and the revised rules would allow them to expand their reach even further.

Losing media outlets is bad for writers' livelihoods—but its even worse for democracy. If the FCC and the Bush Administration are not stopped, it may soon be possible for a single corporation such as ClearChannel to completely dominate the distribution of news and information in major cities around the country.

The FCC decision was a split vote, 3-2. Dissenting Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein made heroic efforts to prevent passage of the new rules. Although they did not succeed, their energetic opposition alerted Americans across the country to the dangers of the new policies, galvanizing hundreds of thousands of people into activism on the issue. You can read Copps dissent and Adelstein's dissent here.

I dissent to this decision. I dissent on grounds of substance. I dissent on grounds of process. I dissent because today the FCC empowers America's new Media Elite with unacceptable levels of influence over the media on which our society and our democracy so heavily depend.

—FCC Commissioner Michael Copps

Even though we are not all FCC Commissioners, there's still something we can do: The Bay Area and Santa Cruz/Monterey Chapters of the NWU are combining to take a message to Michael Powell and his friends on the FCC that we oppose media consolidation.

If anyone has the passion to work alongside Media Allianceand others from the Bay Area and Santa Cruz Chapters of the NWU to fight for media democracy, contact us!

Labor unions and other organizations who wish to join the fight for media democracy can pass the Resolution in Support of Local and Diverse Media Ownership. Non-profit groups, unions and other organizations may endorse this at your next official meeting.

Join the Fight

To lend your support or help to the NWU's efforts, contact @chair in the Bay Area, and especially Don Monkerud @don in the Santa Cruz area. Also visit the website of the NWU's Santa Cruz Chapter, which has been doing all the organizing on this project.

Learn More

For more information on the issues see:

Also see Richard Simon's article Media Consolidation: The Sound of One Hand Clapping, and Don Monkerud's Emerging Trends: Media Conglomerates Enter a New Phase.

You can also visit the Media Consolidation Campaign on the NWU National site.

And especially see the recent Media Democracy Campaign News and Events.
Friday, May 16, 2008 5:58 am