BIG MEDIA GETTING EVEN BIGGER
Common Cause, October 21, 2007
The FCC is up to its old tricks
again.
They want to set new media
ownership rules without any public input -- just like
they did in 2003. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
won't tell us exactly what the new rules would do, but every
indication is that they'll let Big Media get even
bigger.
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Light a fire under
Congress
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Senator Byron Dorgan said of the
FCC's secretive plan: "There is going to be a firestorm of
protest, and I will be carrying the wood."
There are still a number of
independently-owned television stations, radio stations and
newspapers where you and I can find information and opinions
that aren't always covered by the corporate-owned Big Media
outlets. But their future independence is in doubt if these
rule changes go through.
The health and vibrancy of our
democracy depends on a diversity of voices. We must ensure that
independent voices aren't silenced by the disappearance of
independent media outlets. We can't allow more media
monopolies.
We demand that the FCC reveal their
plan for media ownership to the American people. And we demand
that we have enough time to review it and submit our response to
it. We will not take "no" for answer.
Therefore, we are urgently calling
for Congressional hearings into the FCC's plans for media
ownership and we need your help.
Please contact your Representative today!
We need to have public hearings in
the next few weeks -- before Congress leaves for holiday recess
-- to fully investigate and reveal the FCC's plans for media
consolidation. Time is short. Let's do everything we
can to spark that grassroots firestorm.
Thanks for all you do.
Sincerely,
Bob Edgar
President, Common Cause
President, Common Cause