[Peace] You pushed FCC to launch payola probe

[Josh Silver]

Dear Media Reformer,

Last week, 16,000 Free Press e-activists sent a letter to Congress and the FCC calling for an investigation into "payola pundit" 
Armstrong Williams -- and it worked. 

Less than 24 hours after the petition drive started, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein urged an investigation. 
Fellow commissioner Michael Copps backed the call, stating that "in a single day, the number of complaints coming into the FCC has grown from a few to 
thousands."

On Friday, Chairman Michael Powell responded to the public outcry, instructing the FCC Enforcement Bureau to open an investigation into 
the payola allegations. Your petitions also prompted members of Congress to contact Chairman Powell, asking for a full report. A letter from Sen. Frank 
Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) demanded that "the political discourse of our nation must not be for 
sale to the highest bidder."

Your active participation made the difference, proving once again that online activism is still a powerful force to reckon 
with as we build the movement for media reform. 

Now we must remain vigilant to ensure a thorough investigation into the full scope of taxpayer-funded 
propaganda. Concrete measures must be adopted to pre-empt the next Armstrong Williams. As always, we'll keep you updated as the story develops. 

Thank 
you, 

Josh Silver
Executive Director, Free Press
www.freepress.net 

P.S.: Our ability to stop payola pundits and create a diverse, independent 
media depends on your support. Please join the Free Press Action Fund. With introductory memberships as low as $20, your contribution makes all the difference 
in helping us to expand the media reform movement. For more information, go to www.freepress.net/support.

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