Kerry, Obama Call on FCC to Address Media Ownership Diversity

[ProSense]

Kerry, Obama Call on FCC to Address Media Ownership Diversity

Thu Jul 20, 3:10 PM ET

To: National Desk, Business Reporter

Contact: Kathryn Seck of the Office of
John Kerry, 202-224-9431; Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, both of the Office of Barack Obama, 202-228-5511

WASHINGTON, July 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Senators John Kerry (D- Mass.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to immediately address the issues of minority, women and small business media ownership before taking up a second review of wider media ownership rules.

In June 2004, the FCC issued a public notice seeking comment on ways to increase the number of minorities, women and small businesses who own media outlets. There has been no movement on this proceeding since. Senator Kerry and Senator Bill Nelson (D- Fla.) were successful in attaching an amendment to the massive telecommunications reform bill recently considered by the Senate Commerce Committee requiring the FCC to move forward with its proceeding to expand media ownership diversity.

In a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Kerry and Obama requested that the agency address the issue now and not wait for the telecommunications bill to become law.

"We urge prompt completion of the proceeding and...urge you to complete the proceeding before consideration of broader media consolidation issues begins in earnest," Kerry and Obama wrote. "The goals of promoting minority, women, and small business ownership in the communications industry are set forth in the Communications Act of 1934. ...Ensuring that such directives are accomplished is important to achieving a diverse media, particularly in an era of increased media concentration."

"Two years ago the FCC publicly committed itself to increasing minority, women and small business ownership, but they haven't moved an inch," said Kerry, top Democrat on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and member of the Commerce Committee. "Further delay won't level the playing field for minority, women and small businesses trying to compete in the media industry. The diverse voices in our country should be in the game, not left on the sidelines."

To read the letter, please visit http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/lettersout/060719-FCCminoritymediaownership.pdf


http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060720/pl_usnw/kerry__obama_call_on_fcc_to_address_media_ownership_diversity304_xml

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Like Kevin "Harry Potter" Martin is actually going to listen

He's too busy looking for sports fans saying "Fuck".

[blm]

6. We need to make an active crusade on this issue. For 3 yrs Kerry has been

working the angle against big media based on laws that protect small business and minority rights to access.

Maybe we should pick one day early next week and launch a call in and email campaign to the FCC about this issue. And copy with letters to lawmakers and the media.

[babylonsister]

2. A+ for bringing attention to this! nt

[Poiuyt]

3. Kick - Very important

[MH1]

4. Good job John Kerry.

Anyone paying attention out there?

[itzamirakul]

9. Good job John Kerry AND Barak Obama....

Both are pos IMO, but let's give credit where credit is due.

[blm]

11. Not to people who read the National Security Archives

- we think Jk's one of the best lawmakers of modern history. But, then, the anti-corruption, open government wing of the Democratic party rarely even gets noticed.

[LynneSin]

5. List that with another good idea that ain't gonna happen

<<sigh>>

[blm]

7. There are already laws and mandates about this, and that is the angle

that Kerry has been pursuing for a few years. They need more attention on it, and hopefully some of us can help.

I sure hope MediaMatters and Take Back the Media see this.

[blue cat]

8. Important topic.

recommended.

[cascadiance]

10. Hopefully they will stop Rupert Murdoch from getting a satellite monopoly!

There are rumors of DirecTV (owned by Rupert Murdoch and Newscorp - aka Fox) buying up EchoStar Communications (which owns Dish Network).

Folks if this is allowed to happen, you can kiss some of our alternative media such as Sundance Channel, Free Speech TV, and Link TV (along with all of their good content like Democracy Now, etc.) goodbye! Cable systems would drop them too without a satellite competitive advantage of these stations that have us take satellite instead of cable for them.

Murdoch and Newscorp who have an ownership stake in XM Satellite Radio had last year been in rumors to try to merge with the other satellite radio service (Sirius) too. You could kiss Air America good bye then too (it's already been removed from Sirius now with "exclusive" arrangements being enforced).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1696820&mesg_id=1696820

We can't allow this sort of merger to happen before we have a new congress in 2007! With this and net neutrality going away, we may face a media blackout.

[itzamirakul]

13. The horrible thing about Murdoch is that the man is not even American

or if he is, he just became one. I have a real problem with selling our media outlets to people who are citizens of other countries. They have no loyalty to the U.S. and that makes them more than willing to censure information and to limit what we are told through media outlets.

Murdoch has his mind and attention on owning parts of the Pacific region and on promoting Australia. America is just a means to an end for him. If anyone thinks Murdoch gives a royal shit about American citizens then please come buy this Brooklyn Bridge I have for sale.

[jsamuel]

12. woot