[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:12940] Fwd: Two victories for media reform

[Alfred Kagan]

>Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 17:34:00 -0500 (EST)
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:12940] Fwd:  Two victories for media reform
>From: "Elaine Harger" <eharger at agoron.net>
>To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l at ala.org>
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>Dear PLG and SRRT colleagues,
>
>Forwarding some good news!
>
>Elaine
>
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>Subject: [FP] Two victories for media reform
>From: "Josh Silver" <jsilver at mediareform.net>
>Date: Wed, February 25, 2004 4:30 pm
>To: <freepress_e_activist at mediareform.net>
>
>The popular backlash against the FCC's lifting of media ownership
>regulations is bearing fruit: Two recent victories show that our
>collective efforts are having an impact.
>
>First: Corporate-sponsored junkets for FCC Commissioners have been
>stopped. Last year, the Center for Public Integrity revealed that the
>FCC had accepted over $2.8 million in free travel and entertainment from
>the very industries they were regulating. Public outrage at this and the
>loosening of media ownership regulations resulted in the FCC banning
>this practice. For the complete story, visit
>http://www.publicintegrity.org/telecom/report.aspx?aid=188 .
>
>Second: Low-power FM broadcasting --  nonprofit radio stations with a
>reach of just a few miles -- recently received a huge boost. Last
>Friday, the FCC recommended to Congress that it eliminate restrictions
>that deprived communities of their own locally-oriented radio stations.
>If Congress writes this into law, it will clear the way for hundreds --
>if not thousands -- of communities to begin broadcasting.
>
>The battle in Congress over Low-power FM licenses is about to begin, and
>Big Media is going to fight back - hard. We're going to need all of your
>support to beat them. Stay tuned to http://www.mediareform.net/lpfm for
>details.
>
>Neither of these developments would have even been thinkable a year ago,
>proving what Free Press has believed all along: when corrupt
>policymaking practices are brought into the daylight for all to see, the
>public will demand action, and regulators and legislators will be forced
>to respond.
>
>We are making headway.
>
>It's quite possible that the federal appeals court in Philadelphia will
>roll back the all-important newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule,
>thanks to public pressure and a brilliant legal fight led by the Media
>Access Project. Congress is still trying to roll back the rest of the
>new rules, with growing bipartisan support. More and more Americans are
>realizing that we have to fight for better media if we want a better
>country and a better democracy.
>
>Onward,
>
>The Free Press Team
>
>PS: This Friday, February 27th, NOW with Bill Moyers will air an expose
>on the repression of peaceful protest during FTAA negotiations in Miami
>last November, featuring footage collected by Independent Media Centers
>across the country.
>
>P.P.S.: Stay up to date on news relating to media reform with our free
>daily headline service. Sign up at
>http://www.mediareform.net/news/deliveries.php. Give it a try; both
>subscribing and unsubscribing are easy.
>
>-----
>A brief history of Low Power FM:
>
>In 1999, media activists convinced the FCC of the need for low power FM
>broadcasting: 10 to 100 watt, nonprofit neighborhood radio stations with
>a reach of only a few miles. No sooner was a nationwide service
>implemented than large commercial interests used their massive lobbying
>power to place limitations on it, claiming that low power FM
>transmissions would result in an unremitting "ocean of interference"
>with existing stations.
>
>Industry's efforts, spearheaded by the National Association of
>Broadcasters, culminated in the successful passage of the Radio
>Preservation Act of 2000. Severe restrictions on where low power
>stations could exist on the dial ensured that community broadcasters
>would exist only in the most remote of rural locales. It also demanded
>an official study on potential interference issues, economic impact
>assessments, and a collection of public comment with a full FCC report
>to Congress - all amounting to a disingenuous stall tactic.
>
>The Congressionally-mandated study was completed earlier last year. It
>unequivocally found the NAB's claims of interference to be bogus. Public
>interest groups including Free Press commissioned additional research to
>defend the report and to file comments with the FCC reiterating its
>findings. On Friday, February 20, these efforts paid off when the FCC
>released its recommendations to Congress, agreeing  with public interest
>advocates that industry claims of interference were patently false. They
>called for the lifting of the stringent industry-sponsored restrictions
>on low power broadcasting.
>
>Now it is up to Congress to act on the FCC's recommendations. This will
>clear the way for hundreds - if not thousands - of communities to begin
>broadcasting locally-originated content. While the fight in Congress
>remains, thanks to public outcry over the FCC's actions last summer,
>many in Congress are eager to pass legislation that represents a
>positive step towards encouraging localism and diversity on our
>airwaves.
>
>Free Press
>866-666-1533
>www.mediareform.net
>info at mediareform.net
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
>
>--
>Elaine Harger
>Librarian
>W. Haywood Burns School, PS/IS 176
>New York City
>
>212/942-6718 h
>212/942-7862 w
>eharger at agoron.net


-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu