April 12, 2006

More Disturbing Facts about BIG MEDIA

OK, I started with what may happen to the Internet in terms of our freedom to access the information we want on the web if Citizen Hunters don't stand up and take action now. Some of you e-mailed wanting to know about the evils of media consolidation I alluded to in the post.

We are blessed to live in a great democracy and our media system should reflect that. The public's trust in the media, its accuracy and its independence are at an all-time low due to well-publicized scandals and the tendency to focus on high ratings. This tendency often means that the information Citizen Hunters and the American public need and deserve is put on the back burner for the most titillating flavor of the moment. But the media's problems run even deeper.

Consider this:

Five corporate conglomerates control the four big networks, which make up over 70% of prime time viewing. They own most cable channels, lots of radio stations, Internet sites, movie studios, publishing houses - you name it. In other words, only a handful of people dictate what you read, hear, and watch.

Independent newspapers, radio and TV stations are disappearing by the day. Over half of the markets in the country are one-newspaper towns! Minority ownership is at its lowest point in 10 years. Clear Channel owns 1,200 radio stations alone. Educational programing for children is being gutted, replaced by more profitable shows. I could go on and on.

All of this is being done on "our" airwaves I might add. The public owns the airwaves and big media pays us nothing for what many estimate is worth over $350 billion. Yes, that's billion with a "B". We own the airwaves and yet they - Big Media - don't watch out for the public interest.

We are also getting hosed at the cable box, a fact that I'm sure you are already painfully aware of. Cable companies, with their deep pockets, lobbied and got more deregulation in order to "save" us, the consumers, more money. I have yet to meet anyone who thinks they are saving money on their cable bill. And of course they're right: Average cable rates have increased 50% since deregulation took place. Why is Big Media so good at getting legislation that helps them and hurts you? Campaign cash is one reason. But it's not too late to reverse course! Some Citizen Hunters thought their voices and interests should be heard as much as the special interests; they stood up and as a result this year many rollbacks that would have made things worse were stopped cold.

To get more information and take action visit Freepress.net - I love their tag line, "Reform Media, Transform Democracy!"

UPDATE: One more way to stop big media: Support the Community Broadband Act.

Countering efforts by big telephone and cable companies to outlaw municipal broadband, schools, community groups, local government would be able to provide cheaper and more affordable internet access to many Americans who are being left behind the digital devide. Big Media does not want the competition or local control. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) are taking Big Media one and recently introduced S. 1294, the Community Broadband Act of 2005.

The Lautenberg-McCain bill would "preserve and protect the ability of local governments to provide broadband capability and services." This legislation would ensure that local communities could decide for themselves how to best serve the technology needs of their own citizens.

Big Media is spending lots of money to lobby on this issue to be sure, but Citizen Hunters are a force to be reckoned with. Please call your senators today and urge them to co-sponsor the Community Broadband Act.

UPDATE 9/16: FCC has FCC-commissioned report showing that greater concentration of media ownership hurts local TV news coverage "disappeared."



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