Corporate media fears Kerry presidency.

[blm]

Is this why Kerry's candidacy was declared dead for months, thereby drying up Kerry's fundraising? Why the media focused on rivals and downplayed the truth about Kerry's support on the ground? Kerry's big Iowa win PROVED the media was lying to us for months.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2003


Kerry Seeks to Reverse FCC's "Wrongheaded Vote"
Commission decision may violate laws protecting small businesses; Kerry to file Resolution of Disapproval

Washington, DC - Senator John Kerry today announced plans to file a "Resolution of Disapproval" as a means to overturn today's decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise media ownership caps and loosen various media cross-ownership rules.

Kerry will soon introduce the resolution seeking to reverse this action under the Congressional Review Act and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act on the grounds that the decision may violate the laws intended to protect America's small businesses and allow them an opportunity to compete.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerry expressed concern that the FCC's decision will hurt localism, reduce diversity, and will allow media monopolies to flourish. This raises significant concerns about the potential negative impacts the decision will have on small businesses and their ability to compete in today's media marketplace.

In a statement released earlier today regarding the FCC's decision, Kerry said:

"Nothing is more important in a democracy than public access to debates and information, which lift up our discourse and give Americans an opportunity to make honest informed choices. Today's wrongheaded vote by the Republican members of the FCC to loosen media ownership rules shows a dangerous indifference to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few large entities rather than promoting diversity and independence at the local level. The FCC should do more than rubber stamp the business plans of narrow economic interests.

"Today's vote is a complete dereliction of duty. The Commissioners are well aware that these rules greatly influence the competitive structure of the industry and protect the public's access to multiple sources of information and media. It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that the rules serve our national goals of diversity, competition, and localism in media. With today's vote, they shirked that responsibility and have dismissed any serious discussion about the impact of media consolidation on our own democracy."

[Hoppin_Mad]

1. Corporate Media including Fox are SUPPORTING Kerry !

" As John Kerry's campaign to secure the Democrat nomination - and with it a crack at the White House - continues to gather pace, it has emerged that it is being bankrolled by key executives from News Corporation, MTV-owner Viacom and Sony.

The victory in Maine, Mr Kerry's 10th out of the 12 primaries in the opening weeks of the Democrat selection campaign, confirmed his position as overwhelming favourite to take on President Bush in November's presidential election.

Unsurprisingly, the donation from News Corp's boardroom came not from chairman Rupert Murdoch, a committed Republican, but from the company's chief operating officer, Peter Chernin.

Mr Chernin, one of Mr Murdoch's most trusted lieutenants, is among several media chiefs who have pledged to raise between $50,000 and $100,000 to support the Vietnam war veteran's campaign for the White House.

Others who have pledged to raise more than $50,000 include the Viacom chief executive, Sumner Redstone, and Sony chairman Howard Stringer, whose name has recently been linked with the vacant chairmanships at ITV and the BBC.

Most of the money raised from these contributors will have to be raised through business associates, relatives and friends as individuals can only give a total of $4,000 each to presidential candidates - $2,000 during the primaries and another $2,000 during a general election.

US political commentators have speculated that Mr Kerry has enjoyed the support of the media community in an effort to head off the challenge of Howard Dean, who has fallen back in the race despite being the frontrunner before the primaries began. Mr Dean made statements last year about wanting to break up media conglomerates. "

http://media.guardian.co.uk/city/story/0,7497,1144464,00.html

[blm]

2. Kerry WON in Iowa without THEM. If they want to jump on a moving train

then let them.

BTW...some of those network execs had donated to Dean. Of course, that was BEFORE he won ANYTHING. They were likely the ones trying to shape the perception that Dean was unstoppable back in December and January. The same ones who declared Kerry's candidacy dead for months while drying up his fundraising.

Kerry proved he can win even with the media declaring he was toast.

Real deals pull through in SPITE of the media.

[MrSoundAndVision]

4. I saw a different media campaign

I saw the media running stories about how people were beginning to become very interested in the Kerry and Edwards campaign about two weeks before the Iowa caucuses and then I saw the Kerry campaign shut up and not say anything, and let the media convince the Iowa public some great interest in John Kerry had occurred. I'm sure my Dean supporting colleague will concur. John Kerry still hasn't said anything, in fact, I'm sure he won't say much, it will be better for him to keep quiet at the upcoming debates than to open his mouth out of turn yet again.

[blm]

5. That's fantasist talk. Kerry was working 20 hour days meeting every voter

he could. The media still on the day of the caucus said Dean would win because of organization, so please don't try revisionism on someone who knows better.

Dennis Kucinich would be one of the first to attest to how much groundwork John Kerry put into the Iowa and NH campaign. Don't represent DK while avoiding the truth. That is NOT what he is about.

You want to downplay the effectiveness of the fire fighters and veterans. Go ahead. It just proves how unrealistic people can be in the post 9-11 America.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

9. Oh geez

Someone just couldn't resist "using" 9/11.

[Turkw]

8. According to the data collected by media tenior, this is not true

when the comments on or by Kerry were added up from ABC, CBS, and NBC, Kerry had a significant increase of positive coverage just before Iowa.
Dean's coverage became negative. There are some very interesting reports on the media tenior web site on the January Primary coverage by the three broadcasters.

[MrSoundAndVision]

3. Um...sorry, but...

the corporate media fears Dennis Kucinich, he's threatened to split up the media monopolies.

Think about that. Has John Kerry said he will do such?

[blm]

6. I haven't heard everything he's said - has anyone else had the idea

to combat media monopolies through current laws that protect small businesses?

[babzilla]

7. umm, yea

only ALL of the independent media forums that testified at the FCC forums that were held during that period.

Kerry voted for the Telecommunication's act that served to advance the whole slippery slope of media conglomeration.

Yet another example of Kerry saying one thing, once it becomes politically inconvenient, which totally contradicts how he actually voted when the policy was being decided.

[AP]

10. Corp media tanked Kerry to get Dean.

[Mairead]

11. I don't think a "resolution of disapproval" means what you think, blm

I'm fairly sure it's a 'tsk tsk' figleaf and has no force of law whatever. Am I wrong?