PETITION CONGRESS TO REVERSE FCC'S MEDIA CONSOLIDATION DECISION
MoveOn.org, December 19, 2007
 
 

Sign the petition
For those of us who don't want a few big companies deciding what we see, hear, and read in the news, it's a bad day.
 
 
The Bush-appointed FCC voted yesterday to loosen media ownership rules so media titans like Rupert Murdoch can swallow up more local news outlets.1 They did this despite a huge public outcry—when the FCC asked for public comments, 99% opposed media consolidation!2
 
 
The last thing our democracy needs is fewer independent media voices and more news outlets like FOX. Congress has the power to reverse this rule change, and a bipartisan group of 26 Senators already announced they'll try.3 We need the rest of the Senate to know we're paying attention and we want action.
 
Can you sign this petition asking Congress to reverse the FCC's media consolidation decision—and forward this email to a couple friends who would care about this issue?
 
Read the petition on the right, and click here to sign:
 http://civic.moveon.org/mediaconsolidation/o.pl?id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=3
 
 
When we deliver thousands of petition signatures to Congress, we'll give Senators who are on our side something that they can use to convince their colleagues this issue is important and the public is paying attention.
 
For over 30 years, the rules prevented corporations from owning a newspaper and TV station in the same city. One goal was to increase the quality of journalism, which happens when news outlets compete. Another goal was to ensure diversity of voices—preventing FOX owner Rupert Murdoch from gobbling up lots of news outlets in the same place and controlling the political dialogue.
 
Murdoch already said that's exactly what he'll do.4 If yesterday's rule change by the Bush FCC is allowed to stand, that paves the way for more and more local news outlets to spread the same type of right-wing misinformation that we currently get from FOX—and consumers will have fewer and fewer alternatives.
 
 
The Bush FCC tried this once before, in 2003. Millions of Americans stood together and got that decision overturned.5 We can do it again now.
 
 
Can you sign this petition asking Congress to reverse the FCC's media consolidation decision—and forward this email to a couple friends who would care about this issue?
 
Read the petition on the right, and click here to sign:
 http://civic.moveon.org/mediaconsolidation/o.pl?id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

 
Sources:
 
1. "FCC OKs controversial media-ownership rule," Associated Press, December 18, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3282&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=6
 
"Flawed Media Plan," New York Times editorial, December 17, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3285&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=7
 
2. "The Bottom Line: America Doesn't Want Bigger Media," StopBigMedia.com blog, Dec. 14, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3284&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=8

3. 26 Senators promise to support bill to "revoke and nullify" FCC media consolidation rules, Dec. 17, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3283&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=9
 
 
4. "Rupert Murdoch may get to own TV stations and newspapers in same city," BloggingStocks.com, October 18, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3288&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=10
 
"Be concerned about Rupert Murdoch," Op-Ed by Consumers Union in Seattle Times, September 18, 2007
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3287&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=11
 
5. "Media Consolidation," Common Cause
 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3113&id=11826-3276638-7JTJu7&t=12