Kerry and Obama challenge FCC Chairman to postpone vote

[wisteria]

While everyone is preoccupied with the various presidential campaigns and the destroyed torture tapes, something else has been going on virtually unnoticed. For those of us who are concerned about too much corporate control over the media, there is a vote coming this Tuesday that will send chills up your spin. This vote- if it goes as planned, will allow newspaper owners access to ownership in either local TV or radio stations. Scary goings on, IMO. This could amount to nothing less than corporate control of the message and what constitutes news. It could squeeze out and silence smaller locally run TV stations,cable and radio and make it impossible for minorities and women to compete in the media market.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/12/kerry_obama_threaten_to_block.php">here


In a hearing held this past Thursday, Kevin Martin, Chairman of the FCC, behaving like Bush Jr, refused to postpone the vote and yield to the majority concerns of the Congress. More time is necessary to review the impact of this change in FCC rules on all facets of the media locally and nationally. Yet, Mr. Martin seems to be in a hurry to do the bidding of corporate America and thumb his nose at the American people. Senator Kerry masterfully challenged Mr. Martin on his reasoning behind the rush to vote and point- blank asked him to postpone it. You can listen to the hearing and Senator Kerry's questioning below. Kerry starts his questioning about 2:13 in.

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1920">link

Senator Obama has joined forces with Senator Kerry over this matter and in the article http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6513123.html?industryid=47169">here, both senators get to the heart of the matter in their comments.

"This is a showdown with an FCC chairman who is letting the FCC do the bidding of big corporate conglomerates without giving smaller media outlets a chance to fight back,” Kerry said.

"We must ensure that we have an open media market that represents all of the voices in our diverse nation and allows them to be heard,”Obama added.

And, this final article that puts the efforts of Senator Kerry and Senator Obama together nicely,

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117977766.html?categoryid=18&cs=1">here

Now, what part we can play in all of this is unclear, but I intend to contact the FCC on Monday and express my concerns and outrage over this rush to vote on an issue most Americans don't want to see come to pass and many in Congress are very concerned about- further corporate control of more media outlets.

http://www.fcc.gov/contacts.html">FCC contact.

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd and thank you! This is really important; I'm happy to hear these good

senators are 'on it'. :patriot:

[caligirl]

4. Hi again, check out my post below for a quick letter to the FCC if you wish.

[annabanana]

2. Good!

Dugg, kicked & rec'd !

[caligirl]

3. Here is my quickly written letter, sent cc to the senators as well for added effect

Dear FCC Commissioners,

As a responsible and concerned citizen aware of the importance of quality news, a free press and local control, I object to the FCC voting on December 18, 2007 on cross ownership of tv stations and newspapers. I support Senator Kerry and Senator Obama in withholding FCC funding should you ignore the need for a full investigation of the impact such a vote could have.

Senator Kerry and Senator Obama are quoted here : “We reiterate our call for you to delay this vote for a period of time sufficient for the commission to examine the status of minority and women media ownership in the United States and to establish a policy to effectively address the need to promote greater diversity in media markets,” they said.

“We recognize the widespread animosity aimed at the direction of the commission regarding Tuesday's scheduled vote. We understand that for a variety of reasons you are being asked to postpone the vote to permit more time for the commission to fully understand how a relaxation in the cross-ownership rule will impact other important issues such as localism.

“It is our hope that the sum of these objections will convince you to delay this vote. … Should you decide to move forward with this vote against the expressed bipartisan, bicameral intent of Congress, we will approach Appropriations Chairman Byrd with a request that funds be denied for the implementation of this rule.”


Acting in such away as Mr Martin says he wants to seems to be in favor of corporate pocket not the American people and a free press. Hardly surprising I should say.


Sincerely,




cc: jk bo

[wisteria]

5. Great letter! n/t

[caligirl]

8. thanks. were many letters sent opposing this after the hearing?

[wisteria]

9. I am not sure. This issue has not gotten the attention it deserves. n/t

[blm]

29. It won't because media doesn't WANT the public to know about this.

That is why bloggers and lawmakers have to SHOUT about this.

[slipslidingaway]

13. Letters were sent before the hearing and also there was an

action alert posted in the link below re: an upcoming bill.

Thanks for making your voice heard :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2445708

"Today is Your Last Chance To Speak Out To Save Our Media From The FCC

This coming Tuesday, December 11, is the LAST day to send your
comments to the FCC, opposing the move of the right wing operative
Chairman Kevin J. Martin to remove the last restrictions from a total
mogul takeover of every newspaper, radio and television station in
the country."


"Despite mounting and unanimous public opposition, FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin wants to rush through essentially the same further media consolidation into the hands of fewer and fewer giant corporations, which was overturned by public pressure in 2003.

But a bipartisan bill has been introduced in Congress, The Media Ownership Act of 2007 (S.2332), to stop this rash and harmful action."

[scarletwoman]

6. k&r (nt)

[slipslidingaway]

7. Thanks K&R, there are some youtube videos as well...

FCC Oversight Hearing: Sen. John Kerry -- part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKC6Gf79o54

There were many objection's at the hearing the other day.


Also on the cspan video archives page

"Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Cmte. FCC Oversight Hearing
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee holds a Federal Communications Commission Oversight Hearing. At this hearing, the Committee Members hear from the five Federal Communications Commission commissioners on current proceedings involving media and telecommunications policy. Witnesses include: FCC Chairman Kevin Martin; FCC Commissioners Michael Copps, Jonathan Adelstein and Robert McDowell; and Deborah Taylor Tate, FCC commissioner and chairman of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service.
12/13/2007: WASHINGTON, DC: 2 hr. 51 min.'


Senator Boxer up now...
'were reports deep sixed for political reasons'?

LOL to Martin...

'you've got it all mixed up Sir.'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3823330#3831337

[wisteria]

10. Thanks for posting the video and links. Sen. Boxer was awesome too. n/t

[slipslidingaway]

11. You're welcome, I missed parts of it, but Boxer was saying

that there may have been reports that were shelved for political reasons???

We all need to pay more attention to this issue.

http://www.fcc.gov/oig/

"The Office of Inspector General was established on March 29, 1989. As set forth in the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, the Inspector General (IG) and his office provide objective and independent investigations, audits, and reviews of the FCC's programs and operations. Incident thereto, the Inspector General provides recommendations to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in FCC programs and operations. The Inspector General reports the results of investigations, audits and reviews semi-annually to the Chairman, and to the Congress. These reports, in turn, assist the Chairman, Commissioners and the United States Congress in becoming fully informed of all programmatic and operational deficiencies at the FCC. The Inspector General reports to, and is under the general supervision of, the FCC Chair."

[wisteria]

12. I agree, It is important that our news is not totally controlled by corporations.

There is to much corporate control now as it is.

[slipslidingaway]

19. Yes and a kick. n/t

[blm]

30. And corporate control = political control

.

[karynnj]

21. Thanks for the link

This really is a very important issue and Martin seems very far out of line with not only Kerry, but Republicans like Lott and Stevens - who have never been called liberals.

Seeing this, I again wish that Kerry were President - he really does represent the best of American values.

[slipslidingaway]

31. You're welcome and yes it does seem to be a bipartisan effort

to stop Martin.

"Seeing this, I again wish that Kerry were President..."

You and me both!

[L. Coyote]

14. Thanks. K & R

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

15. I felt sick at Rupert's merger with Dow Jones.

The corporate conglomerates have all ready destroyed the media market. How on earth will that ever be disassembled? It won't.

[wisteria]

16. We still have some control. We don't have to subscribe and pay for the junk they want to offer us.

We also don't have to recognize and accept their version of the news.

[caligirl]

17. you and I are smart enough to select independent sources, the zombies that won't are the problem.

I'd prefer to get back to Walter Cronkite era news so the generally uninformed public gets the unadulterated version.

[wisteria]

18. Those zombies need to be reached. Something as simple as

suggesting they not believe everything they read or hear may plant doubt in their minds about the news they receive.

"There are no problems, only solutions" - John Lennon

[blm]

33. Where are the bloggers on this - they're whispering not shouting. If they would

get loud and applaud Kerry and Obama on this maybe the rest of DC would try to catch up.

[wisteria]

20. More on this at Kerryvision- see link below.

http://www.kerryvision.net/2007/12/showdown_with_the_fcc.html

[annm4peace]

22. Can they impeach the FCC chairman.

After watching Cspan's hearings last week, it seems like he is going to bring up the vote anyhow.

So if it passes what can be done. I dont' understand why this young little man has so much power.

[annm4peace]

23. Ok, I see now, they withhold the money

..... " We recognize the widespread animosity aimed at the direction of the Commission regarding Tuesday’s scheduled vote. We understand that for a variety of reasons you are being asked to postpone the vote to permit more time for the Commission to fully understand how a relaxation in the Cross-Ownership Rule will impact other important issues such as localism. It is our hope that the sum of these objections will convince you to delay this vote until a time following the Commission’s consideration of other pressing matters. Specifically, we believe that moving forward with this change will have a direct and detrimental impact on the state of media diversity. Should you decide to move forward with this vote against the expressed bipartisan, bicameral intent of Congress, we will approach Appropriations Chairman Byrd with a request that funds be denied for the implementation of this rule.

Thank you for your consideration. Should you have any questions regarding this request, please do not hesitate to contact any of us at any time. "

Sincerely,

Sen. John Kerry Sen. Barack Obama

[onenote]

25. If he did something illegal, they could

But scheduling the vote on the ownership item, while a bad idea and a slap in the face to Congress, is not remotely illegal.

Martin is a disaster as chairman, but we're stuck with him until after January 2009 (unless he decides to leave earlier).

[wisteria]

26. He does seem young doesn't he? He is a Bush man all the way.

Bush has been personally involved in his nomination and elevation. However, he does appear to be qualified for the position.


http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/

[globalvillage]

24. Send a letter to your Senator

http://action.freepress.net/campaign/ownership

Or thank the cosponsors of The Media Ownership Act of 2007

Originally sponsored by Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND).

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Larry E. Craig (R-ID)
Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)
Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
Russell D. Feingold (D-WI)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
John F. Kerry (D-MA)
Trent Lott (R-MS)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Barack Obama (D-IL)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Jon Tester (D-MT)

Also watch the excellent video at the link.

[wisteria]

27. Great video! n/t

[ProSense]

28. Excellent OP!

I'll have to write my two Senators; surprised that Lautenberg isn't listed as a co-sponsor.

[Adelante]

32. Will do, thanks

:kick: