Free Speech, the Media, and the Future
On June 2nd, the FCC, headed by Michael Powell (yes, the son of the more famous Powell), meets to vote on ownership of media outlets. The FCC will decide whether "decades-old ownership restrictions belong in a market altered by satellite broadcasts, cable television and the Internet." Current rules say media companies can't own more than one media source in an area.
Current news opinion is sharly divided on where Powell, noted for his preference for big business, stands - which is reasonable given that six companies control most of the U.S. media: AOL Time Warner, Disney, General Electric, News Corporation (Fox), Viacom, and Vivendi Universal.
Powell has said these rules need to be changed.
However, he appears to be getting a bit concerned.
Look at Clear Channel, the Texas-based (!) owner of 1200 U.S. radio stations garnering 50 percent of the radio audience (who also financed several pro war, middle America rallies and banned anti-war songs on its stations). Clear Channel has recenlty filed two station transfer requests, and Son Powell has blocked them - the first time since the 1960s such a block has occured.
At the heart of the matter is the bedeviled 1996 Telecommunications Act, which is a bitch to understand. One of the clearest summaries is from MetroActive News:
"Some say the real war on the delivery of independent thought over the airwaves grew its wings seven years ago, when, by congressional order, the Federal Communications Commission passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In the name of creating healthy competition, it promised to bolster diversity in the public interest. Instead, by all critical accounts, the act deregulated media ownership by lifting caps on how large and broad-based network conglomerates could become."
But that still leaves us with six companies, an FCC chairman who is considered suspect by many independent media, and a very important vote on June 2nd. Recent FCC actions related to media ownership are at the FCC web site.
Anyone for donating more money to public radio and public press?
permalink posted by: jgh 12:46:05 AM
|
|
