Why should you care? Answer: With media concentration you could
receive the "same answer" from every station you listen to
Why isn't the diversity of the Internet, Cable, and Satellite sufficient?
Answer: it costs money to do stuff that people want to watch
What is at this site? Answer: five events, in audio, that can help
you hear how concerned others are
What text is there? Answer: for each event, there is text provided,
both in summary form and from newspaper articles (Fair Use, Section 107(a),
U.S. Copyright Act of 1976)
Why should you care? Answer: With media concentration you could
receive the "same answer" from every station you listen to
Why isn't the diversity of the Internet, Cable, and Satellite sufficient?
Answer: it costs money to do stuff that people want to watch
Does the Congress care? Yes! Almost 100 U.S. House legislators
wrote the Chairman of the FCC, Michal Powell, to ask him to provide a better
deliberation. Senator McCain held Senate hearings held last week, available
in audio, here, and, via a link to the Senate archives, in video (more here)
Does anyone else care? Yes, 300 academics have spoken against media concentration
(more here)
Also Rep. Ed Markey and Robert Kuttner care and have this to say?
(more here)
Should you care? Answer: In 1996, Congressman Markey spoke up for
media diversity. While the 1996 "Telecom reform Act" was mainly a set
of "playing rules" for large corporations, Markey pushed for an amendment
to curtail ownership in each major media area, back from 50% to 35%. However,
the "big boys" (e.g. Clear Channel, Viacom, Disney, and a few others) want
"the whole enchilada." They basically want to "own your minds" so that
you can be spoon fed commercials and marketing tactics. And, they don't
care if the messages you receive are healthy to a society or not; they just
want your money!
Why should I believe you? Answer: Dr. W. Curtiss Priest, of
the Center for Information, Technology & Society, and Research Affiliate
of the MIT Comparative Media Studies (CMS) Program has been working to protect
media diversity for over 35 years. In 1996, Newsweek said "Dr. Priest
is one of the fifty people who matter most on the Internet."
There are only a few of us who really see the sham and hypocrisy that
the FCC's majority leadership is trying to inflict on our way of life. This
is mostly the result of putting "oil men" in charge of this country. "Bigger
is Better to these people." They honestly do not understand why any
of us would not want the "efficiencies" provided by an Oligopoloy of Media
Companies. They aren't fundamentally dishonest, but, their actions are
an insult to all of us.
What is significant about June 2nd? Unless someone decrees otherwise,
the FCC will make the decision (likely to increase media concentration) on
June 2nd, 2003