One Reason Why the MSM is Askeered of Obama

[blogslut]

When we elect Barack Obama president, there is a distinct possibility that he'll replace http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Kevin_J._Martin">this guy:



With http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Michael_Copps">this guy:

[dflprincess]

1. If the MSM were truly afraid of Obama they would have ignored him

like they ignored Kucinich and Edwards before the primary season ever started.

[blogslut]

2. Um, okay

Do you know who Michael Copps is?

[dflprincess]

6. Yes I do

What I haven't seen - and granted I may have missed it - is anything saying that Obama plans to put him in charge.

[blogslut]

7. That may be so

However, Copps is the most logical choice. Obama most definitely is proposing caps on media consolidation. Kevin Martin sure ain't gonna do that.

[dflprincess]

9. Link?

Given how Howard Dean was trashed after saying he'd stop media consolidation, I need to see what Obama has actuallty said about it.

[blogslut]

11. No problem

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/technology/

Encourage Diversity in Media Ownership: Barack Obama believes that the nation’s rules ensuring diversity of media ownership are critical to the public interest. Unfortunately, over the past several years, the Federal Communications Commission has promoted the concept of consolidation over diversity. Barack Obama believes that providing opportunities for minority-owned businesses to own radio and television stations is fundamental to creating the diverse media environment that federal law requires and the country deserves and demands. As president, he will encourage diversity in the ownership of broadcast media, promote the development of new media outlets for expression of diverse viewpoints, and clarify the public interest obligations of broadcasters who occupy the nation’s spectrum. An Obama presidency will promote greater coverage of local issues and better responsiveness by broadcasters to the communities they serve.

[Cha]

16. Of course, the m$$$m is afraid of an Obama admin

and anyone who doesn't see that should get their head outta the sand.

[dflprincess]

21. And thank you Zidzi

As always your well thought out argument makes me feel so much better about being stuck with voting for Obama.

[dflprincess]

19. Thank you

That is encouraging.

[Median Democrat]

20. Obama Has Been Pretty Outspoken Against Media Consolidation

Here is a recent industry publication discussing Obama's views:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6509575.html?rssid=193

And, in October of last year, Obama sent the following letter to the Chairman of the FCC:

Obama: FCC Policies Must Encourage Media Ownership Diversity
Monday, October 22, 2007
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Amy Brundage, 202 228 5511

FCC Rule Changes Must First Assess and Address Minority Media Ownership

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin, calling on him to launch an independent review panel to develop proposals to further promote media ownership diversity. According to press accounts, following an insufficient 30-day review, the FCC intends to modify existing ownership rules by allowing greater media market consolidation. This would allow large media outlets to become larger, potentially cutting out small business, women and minority-owned firms. Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play an important role in the African American and Latino communities and help bring minority issues to the forefront of our national dialogue. However, the Commission has failed to recognize the vital role these outlets play in our democracy and has not done enough to further the goals of diversity in the media.

In the letter, Obama also asks for the FCC to reconsider the Chairman’s proposed consolidation timeline and start a public review of any specific proposed rule modifications. He also asks Martin to complete a study of the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate.

Obama and Senator John Kerry have previously written to Kevin Martin asking him to address the issue of minority media ownership, and the impact that new rules would have on opportunities for minority, small business, and women owned firms.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Chairman Martin:


I am writing regarding your proposal to move forward aggressively with modifications to existing media ownership rules. According to press accounts, you intend to present specific changes to existing rules in November with a Commission vote on that proposal – whatever it may be – on December 18, 2007. I believe both the proposed timeline and process are irresponsible.

Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play a critical role in the African American and Latino communities and bring minority issues to the forefront of our national discussion. However, the Commission has failed to further the goals of diversity in the media and promote localism, and as a result, it is in no position to justify allowing for increased consolidation of the market. Moreover, 30 days of public review of a specific proposed change is insufficient to assess the effect that change would have on the media marketplace or the rationale on which any such proposal is based.

While the FCC did commission two studies on minority ownership in the round of 10 studies it ordered at the beginning of 2007, both suffered from the same problem – inadequate data from which to make determinations on the status of minority media ownership or the causes for that status and ways to increase representation.

It is time to put together an independent panel, as Commissioner Adelstein has recommended, to issue a specific proposal for furthering the goal of diversity in media ownership. I object to the agency moving forward to allow greater consolidation in the media market without first fully understanding how that would limit opportunities for minority, small business, and women owned firms.

I also object to the Commission’s propensity to vet proposals through leaks to the press and lobbyists. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report in September 2007 titled, “The FCC Should Take Steps to Ensure Equal Access to Rulemaking Information.” In that report, GAO found that: “Situations where some, but not all, stakeholders know what the FCC is considering for an upcoming vote undermine fairness and transparency of the process and constitute a violation of the FCC’s rules.” The report went on to state: “This imbalance of information is not the intended result of the Communications Act and it runs contrary to the principles of transparency and equal opportunity for participation established by law and to the FCC’s own rules that govern rulemaking.”

In the wake of that report, I find it disturbing that, according to the New York Times, the Commission is considering repealing the newspaper and television cross ownership rules. It is unclear what your intent is on the rest of the media ownership regulations. Repealing the cross ownership rules and retaining the rest of our existing regulations is not a proposal that has been put out for public comment; the proper process for vetting it is not in closed door meetings with lobbyists or in selective leaks to the New York Times.

Although such a proposal may pass the muster of a federal court, Congress and the public have the right to review any specific proposal and decide whether or not it constitutes sound policy. And the Commission has the responsibility to defend any new proposal in public discourse and debate.

This is not the first time I have communicated with the agency on this matter. Senator Kerry and I wrote to you on July 20, 2006, stating that the Commission needed to address and complete a proceeding on issues of minority and small business media ownership before taking up the wider media ownership rules. Our request echoed an amendment adopted by the Senate Commerce Committee in June 2006. And last month, at an FCC hearing on media ownership held in Chicago, I requested that the FCC put out any specific changes that would be voted on in a new notice of proposed rulemaking so that the American people have an opportunity to review it.

In closing, I ask you to reconsider your proposed timeline, put out any specific change to the rules for public comment and review, move to establish an independent panel on minority and small business media ownership, and complete a proceeding on the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate.

Sincerely,


Senator Barack Obama

[jobycom]

3. Nah, they just figured he was the easiest person for Giuliani to beat.

They so far haven't been right on much.

[anonymous171]

5. lol Giuliani.

He always made me laugh.

[jobycom]

15. I still think Biden sunk his whole campaign with one line.

Whoever wrote that line about a subject, a verb, and 9-11 needs a big pay raise and a hearty thank you.

[SurfingAtWork]

4. Ok, I recognize the first guy

As Doogie Howzer Kevin Martin. I don't recognize the other guy though.

[blogslut]

8. Click the link on his "this guy"

:)

[SurfingAtWork]

12. I'll have to do it when I get home. The filtering software here won't let me go there.

:-(

[blogslut]

13. Wow, that sucks

Here's a bit:

Michael Copps is one of two Democratic commissioners on the Federal Communications Commission. He has served on the FCC since 2001.

~snip~

Opposition to media consolidation

In 2003, when then-FCC Chairman Michael Powell proposed loosening FCC regulations on media ownership, Copps made plain his strong opposition to media consolidation. In his dissenting statement from the FCC decision to loosen media ownership rules (which was later successfully challenged in court), Copps wrote:

"The majority instead chooses radical deregulation - perhaps not quite so radical as originally intended a year ago before so much pressure was brought to bear upon them - but radical nevertheless. This decision allows a corporation to control three television stations in a single city. Why does any corporate interest need to own three stations in any city, other than to enjoy the 40-50 percent profit margins most consolidated stations are racking up? What public interest, what diversity, does that serve? This decision also allows the giant media companies to buy up the remaining local newspaper and exert massive influence over some communities by wielding three TV stations, eight radio stations, the cable operator, and the already monopolistic newspaper. What public interest, what new competition, is enabled by encouraging the newspaper monopoly and the broadcasting oligopoly to combine? This decision further allows the already massive television networks to buy up even more local TV stations, so that they control up to an unbelievable 80 or 90 percent of the national television audience. Where are the blessings of localism, diversity and competition here? I see centralization, not localism; I see uniformity, not diversity; I see monopoly and oligopoly, not competition."

"Copps' ability to distill the complexities of media ownership into plain English and fire up crowds like a revivalist preacher helped derail an industry push in 2003 to loosen restrictions on owning broadcast stations," according to the Los Angeles Times...

[Alter Ego]

10. It's cuz he's one a' them NIGRAS.

THIS IS A SARCASTIC POST MEANT TO CONVEY HUMOR.*













*This disclaimer brought to you by the Help Out The Humor-Impaired Community (HOTHIC).

[Overseas]

14. Disagree. The Corporate Media have just fallen for JSM III's decades of flattery.

John Sidney McCain III has cultivated his media pals for decades now. Invite them on the bus. Be accessible. Flatter them. And it has worked well. They fall all over themselves to protect him and excuse his many mistakes and inconsistencies.

Yes I'd love to see a tougher FCC, but I don't think that prospect makes the media "fear" Obama. They attack him to help Grampy.

[blogslut]

17. Well, I said it was "one" reason

I also believe that the media is manufacturing a horse race because there is no horse race. I don't think they love McSame as much as they need him to be more than he is so they can sell more soap.

[jobycom]

18. That's a good case. The MSM's corporate owners use them as an advertising department

for conservative causes. They'd certainly hate to lose that resource.