ABC is corporation. It is acting rationally in defense of its corporate goals.
Notice that the most FABULOUS run-up to the war in Iraq happened while Colin Powell’s son was the Chair of the FCC. Only a fool would insult Daddy while junior is in charge.
Notice the vast decay of materials in broadcast. There is a reason for this. That reason is lack of competition and ownership rules.
The FCC’s 2003 media ownership decision “was a near-disaster for the United States of America, and we cannot let that happen again.”
— FCC Commissioner Michael Copps
If the Dems are in charge the massive media consolidation will not continue. The promise from Bush:
ELECT ME AND THERE WILL BE NO BROADCAST RULES
Here are the relevant notices from Benton’s communications-headlines:
PUBLIC EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION OVER BROADCAST MEDIA
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times 9/4, AUTHOR: Meg James meg.james@latimes.com]
Deep frustration over the media’s often frivolous and occasionally insensitive broadcasts bubbled over late last week in Los Angeles as a parade of speakers spent 4 1/2 hours imploring two federal regulators to enforce higher standards and halt any further consolidation of radio and television station ownership. Nearly 250 people showed up for a hearing at the University of Southern California, one of several across the country that will be held as the Federal Communications Commission embarks, yet again, on an overhaul of media ownership rules. ……
The full FCC is expected to vote on the media ownership rules next year. The issue is considered a test for FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, who took the helm last year
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc4sep04,1,3888365.story?coll=la-headlines-business
(requires registration)
BUSH PROMISES NO RULES. remember in 03 the FCC gave the broadcasters EXACTLY what they wanted. Then Congress slapped them down for over-reaching. The courts responded as well. The media needs a supine Congress for their agenda.
JAMES QUELLO AND THE BROADCAST LOBBY
[SOURCE: Digital Destiny, AUTHOR: Jeff Chester]
Former FCC Commissioner James Quello has always been a key part of the broadcast lobby’s political support structure. The long-serving (23 years) commissioner made sure his votes aided his profession — broadcasting. Mr. Quello never stops working to help out his media industry brethren — including his latest lobbying missive in this week’s Broadcasting and Cable magazine. Quello urges that broadcasters should be freed from any regulation (what little there’s left, that is, thanks to Quello and others). “Let Broadcasters Be Free,” he proclaims. No rules ensuring diversity of ownership, children’s educational programming, or local accountability are needed. We have the Internet, Quello assure us. Public interest policies can now be jettisoned……
Mr. Quello’s op-ed is especially meant for Chairman Kevin Martin and the GOP majority. It’s supposed to convey that a person with such long FCC and industry experience — Mr. Quello — is giving a high sign to Martin’s plan to scuttle media ownership rules.
http://www.democraticmedia.org/jcblog/?p=93
Meanwhile at the global level WIPO works its pro-corporate magic, declaring not only that broadcasters should face no rules but also that broadcasters should have ABSOLUTE IPR rights in everything they own? Want to taunt Bill O’Reilly? You better ask permission first.
CDT, COALITION OUTLINE CONCERNS WITH PROPOSED BROADCAST TREATY
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy & Technology]
CDT and a diverse group of companies, trade associations and public interest organizations issued a joint statement raising serious concerns with a proposed World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) broadcast treaty. The coalition outlined key problems posed by the treaty, which would grant broad, intellectual-property-like rights to broadcasters and cable-casters. Members of the coalition delivered the statement to the U.S. Government officials involved in the treaty negotiations, as well as to delegations from other WIPO countries.
Joint Statement :
http://www.cdt.org/copyright/20060905wipo.pdf
And THAT is why the right wing has ownership of the broadcast networks before the election. If you think this is bad, if ReThugs get re-elected it only gets worse.
