Sinclair, Clear Channel & Salem Off And Running

[KharmaTrain]

To the victors go the spoils. Several things crossed my desk yesterday...sorry no links here, just insider chit-chat.

First, Sinclair looks like they're going to be buying and trading for more stations now...working with Clear Channel on some "buy & swap" deals where the two companies pick up properties in markets they're not in an trade them back and forth with each other...making money on the transactions.

I expect we'll see a lot of these back-logged deals to come forward now as a new round of Deregulation will be pushed by this regime and word was the failed last round will be on the front burner in January.

Expect several right wing radio operations also to now make moves...most notably Salem broadcasting...who are trying to get their talk network "The Patriot" in every market in the country (it just clicked on in Chicago the day before the election).

Another interesting observation, yesterday the FCC, for the first time in years, opened up applications for new FM licenses...supposedly an open auction for any American citizen, but many of those buyers are either representatives or third party agents for larger companies that are flooding the application process to grab the few good license and to "ice" the others...to make sure competitors don't get those licenses and to drive the bidding so high to blow out most the competition.

Many of these companies invested millions in both capital and personal connections to ensure the outcome of the election and now they feel they're entitled to a payback, and be assured they will get it now.

[CottonBear]

1. Shit. When is Al Gore starting up his network?

[KharmaTrain]

2. Gore Is Only An Investor

He has no control on the network's content. He's stated that he is in favor of what News World International currently does...which is rebroadcasts newscasts from networks around the world...a global news channel as opposed to one based strictly in one country, like a CNNservative, offering only one point of view.

Plus even if he did get this utopian network of all-liberal, all-the time, it would have tremendous difficulties getting clearance on cable system (NWI already does), or if it's available it will be a "premium"...so it'll always be outside the reach of those who not only can't afford cable, but have to ante up an additional fee ontop of that. I currently get NWI on my digital cable, and I pay nearly $100 for that privilidge.

A better hope is the new ABC News Now. But that's another topic altogether.

This one, or my hopes, was to start a watch on what the media companies are doing now as the fox in not only in the henhouse, it's looking at the chickens and deciding which ones are bar-b-qued or made into chicken salad.

[LTR]

3. Here's some more about it

http://www.indtv.tv/

It will be replacing NWI (unfortunately). Any cable system currently carrying NWI will carry this new channel. It's mostly on digital systems, but it's only a small upcharge over regular cable (at least on my system, Time Warner).

Also, don't forget to watch other channels like Sundance, IFC, HBO and Showtime, which also carry programming palatable to our way of thinking.

Sure do wish I had ABC News Now on my system. Sounds like a pretty good straight news channel. CNN International isn't bad either.

[KharmaTrain]

4. These Are Islands In A Huge Ocean

I have all those channels and watch Al Franken daily on Sundance (it doesn't come on until 1:30am here), but it's also available "On Demand"...just 10 days or so old, so needless to say I won't be wanting to relive any of those shows.

ABC News Now is interesting as they run it so bare bones it couldn't spin even if it wanted to. There's C-SPAN-like coverage of major events and some decent commentary by Jonathan Karl, Sam Donaldson...Diane Sawyer creeps in now and then and a bunch of young staffers, including Mario Cuomo's son. Also, they break in with local ABC Chicago News...Ron Magers, can't be all bad.

The good thing about ABC News Now is it's being "piggybacked" on the digital signal of a lot of ABC over-the-air stations. I watch it as Channel "7.2" (actually it's Channel 52) on my WIN-TV card...gives you all the digital channels and a real good video capture card for about $200 (plus you get the 5:1 sound and 6x9 1080i/720 picture...albeit it's on your monitor).

Now I'm wayyyyyyy off topic...which was to try to focus on what the large corporations are already up to and attempt, vainly, to see if there's a real serious interest here in examining some real ways to develop an alternative media...almost on the same model as right wing broadcasting. I get a feeling I'm wasting electrons.

Cheers!

[liveoaktx]

5. Gore has said that his will NOT be a liberal news network

[LTR]

6. Yes, it won't be

I realize that, and Gore has said he does not intend to do a liberal network. But at least it will be a bit more honest than what we have, and I think that's even better than an all-liberal network.

I'm not asking for outright propaganda. All I want is unbiased truth.