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PRESS RELEASE
Citizens Urge FCC to Retain Current Media Ownership Rules
FCC Public Record Shows Overwhelming Opposition to Relaxing
Ownership Caps
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“The FCC asked citizens to file comments on a broad set of questions
related to media ownership, and they have in record numbers. It’s
hard to read these comments and find evidence that the public supports
rule changes that would lead to more media consolidation,” said Future
of Music Coalition Executive Director Jenny Toomey.
FCC commissioners and staff have claimed that over 15,000 comments have
been received by the agency on this issue. However, only approximately
9360 comments are viewable on the FCC website at http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.cgi.
Over the past ten days, two dozen volunteers have collaborated with the
Future of Music Coalition to analyze these comments.
“For much too long, the FCC has gotten away with making critical
policy decisions behind closed doors, without public input,” said
author, professor and Free Press founder Robert McChesney. “In this
instance, the public has spoken in overwhelming numbers. But the FCC leadership
seems bound and determined to push their corrupt agenda, no matter what
the public says.”
As part of its biennial review process, the FCC is examining a large
and fundamental set of rules that currently prevent one broadcast network
from owning another broadcast network, limit the number of local broadcast
stations that any one broadcaster can own to systems serving 35 percent
of the TV-viewing households, and prohibit a company from owning cable
TV systems and TV stations in the same community. The agency is also contemplating
eliminating rules that prohibit cross-ownership of TV stations and newspapers
in the same city. FCC Chairman Powell has announced a vote will be held
on these rule changes on June 2, 2003.
The vast majority of citizens filing comments view the proposed changes
as a threat to a vibrant and functioning democracy. Others are troubled
by the lack of news coverage of these rule changes, with many articulating
the obvious self-interest the major media companies have in ignoring these
crucial issues. Some citizens question the sincerity of Chairman Powell
in acknowledging that the public comments are of equal value as those
made by the corporations that would benefit from loosened rules. Citizen
William J. O’Keefe from Tolland, CT writes to Chairman Powell:
“You have publicly expressed your enormous satisfaction with the staggering number of people, (15,000) who, by submitting their comments, have expressed an interest in the FCC’s review of broadcast media ownership regulations. What does the number of citizen votes have to be in order for the FCC to consider them significant enough to force a decision 1,500,000? 15,000,000? Without a single focused and well financed voice to petition their case, in the end, you can ignore their input, decide in favor of the moneyed interest, and issue a glittering generality type of statement thanking all of those individuals who participated in the democratic process.”
“Reading the comments in this docket has been both inspiring and
disheartening,” said FMC’s Director of Research Kristin Thomson.
“Many citizens express a growing dissatisfaction with the trends
in their local media, and insist that the FCC show a genuine commitment
to localism, competition and diversity. But it’s also frustrating
to know that, even with the vast majority of comments expressing decisive
opposition to the rule changes, citizens’ voices seem to be falling
on deaf ears.”
The comments on Docket 02-277 are just a portion of the messages that
have been sent to the FCC on this media ownership rulemaking. On May 2,
over thirty high-profile musicians signed a letter that urged the FCC
to retain the ownership caps. The letter was co-signed by Jackson Browne,
Jimmy Buffett, David Crosby, Neil Diamond, John Doe, Don Henley, Indigo
Girls (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers), Billy Joel, Lenny Kaye, Toby Keith,
Ian MacKaye, Ray Manzarek, Ellis L. Marsalis, Jr., Mya, Tim McGraw, Paul
D. Miller, Sam Moore, Thurston Moore, Stevie Nicks, Joan Osborne, Van
Dyke Parks, Pearl Jam, Sandy Pearlman, Tom Petty, Bonnie Raitt, Kevin
Richardson, Patti Smith, Stephan Smith, Michael Stipe, Tom Waits, Jennifer
Warnes, Saul Williams, and Nancy Wilson.
To date, over 800 working musicians, artists and citizens have co-signed the letter. The signatories can be reviewed here: http://www.futureofmusic.org/news/FCCmusicianletterView.cfm
Data Analysis
The analysis of the docket – broken
down by state and coded according to author and position stated –
is available for review. Please contact Kristin Thomson at kristin@futureofmusic.org
to request a copy. For more information about this project read
the FAQ.
About the Future of Music Coalition
The Future of Music Coalition is a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit
collaboration between members of the music, technology, public policy
and intellectual property law communities. The FMC seeks to educate media
organizations, policymakers and the public about music/technology issues
while bringing together diverse voices to develop creative solutions to
challenges in this space. The FMC also aims to identify and promote innovative
business models that will help musicians and citizens benefit from new
technologies. http://www.futureofmusic.org
About Free Press
Free Press is a national organization working to increase informed public
participation in crucial media policy debates. The ultimate aim of Free
Press is to generate a range of policies that will produce a more competitive
and public interest-oriented media system with a strong nonprofit and
noncommercial sector. http://www.mediareform.net
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