FCC Media Ownership Rules Meeting (report)

[wtmusic]

Just got back from the FCC Media Ownership meeting in LA.

All five commissioners were present, and spoke briefly at first. Though the commission now has a 3-2 Republican majority, Repubs Kevin Martin and Robert McDowell insisted they had an open mind on loosening/not loosening media ownership rules, and Repub Deborah Taylor Tate appeared confused and wholly unqualified for her job. Both Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein spoke eloquently and forcefully on not only the need to retain ownership rules, but on the duty of the commission to operate IN THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST and on the airwaves being the property of all Americans.

Politicos among the panel of 20 or so speakers included Rep Maxine Waters and Jesse Jackson. Among the media representatives who spoke were independent producers including Stephen Cannell, the president of the Writer's Guild of America, the president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the bass player for R.E.M.. who described how media conglomeration has destroyed American pop music. The panelists all made very good points, as did wtmusic in his LA channel 36 interview ;-)

A crowd of about 500 attended, and sentiment at the meeting was unanimously AGAINST loosening ownership rules. Several times applause broke out and one time audience members almost got a chant going (!?)

Cause for optimism. I attended a similar meeting in 2003 which was far more sparsely attended.

[Swamp Rat]

1. Thanks and congrats!

:applause:

[texpatriot2004]

2. Cool. Thanks. nm