A Heavy Blow To Our Democracy and Freedom of Speech

Our democracy has been dealt a heavy blow by the FCC with its' recent ruling to allow large media corporations to buy up more TV stations, newspapers and radio stations.

Three political appointees to the Federal Communications Commission are the ones that dealt this recent blow which will surely undermine this country's sense of free speech by a free press. Most very disturbing is the fact that the FCC has done this without public review and without the American people receiving compensation in return for their public airwaves.

Under the FCC deal, big media companies will not have to make a commitment to provide better news much less even unbiased news. The same with local news and children's programming. What is so disturbing is the fact that the new rules dramatically worsen opportunities for local news coverage, diversity of different views, and especially competition. Doesn't this remind you of the old robber barons slogan of ages ago, "public be damned?" slogan from the Gilded Age.

These "enlightened" commissioners have removed the ban on broadcasting and newspaper cross-ownership. They raised the national cap on audience reach by station groups owners to 45 percent. Corporations will now will able to own two stations in more markets and three in a handful of markets.

Now this is what is greatly disturbing. The airwaves belong to the American public, not the corporations. Yet, these corporations have played claim to them. The new rules allow new merger possibilities without any public-interest review. This is deplorable and a huge insult to Americans.

Here is what the new rules mean. One company can now own UFH TV stations in 199 of the 210 TV markets. This basically means that one corporation could own 95% of the television stations in this country. Think of all that power in the hands of one corporation headed by Chairman and a few board of directors this will create. This means that a single corporation owning all of these stations could influence the elections for 98 U.S. Senators, 382 members of the House of Representative, 49 governors, 49 state legislators and the list goes on and on of what they could control.

Before this new ruling, under the old rules, one corporation could have too much power by being able to influence the elections in 76 U.S. senate races, 182 hous races, 38 governor races, and 38 state legislators. And that is what happened in the last elections.

What does this mean on a local basis?

This cross ownership of all these news media outlets means that local areas, one company could own its leading daily newspaper and many times its only newspaper, along with its top market television station in the area, the local cable company and as an extra five to eight radio stations, all in any American city.

To protect from this sort of influence and power from one group or men, previously the rules would not allow no TV or newspaper mergers except when a firm was failing or in bankruptcy.

These New Rulings Will Create Monopolies and Abuses

The mergers of dominant newspapers and tv stations will create new monopolies in over 200 media markets that serve 98 percent of American. What this means America is, you previously felt the major news media was biased, well its going to get even worse and you will be fed news only what the "giants" and "power players" in this country what you to hear. Much worse, what they want you to believe which is very disturbing.

How Do I Know What This Will Cause? The Past Events Show The Proof.

Several years ago, the FCC changed the rules to allow one company to own as many radio stations as it wanted. The results prove what I just stated earlier. The local markets were monopolized with basically THREE national companies owning over 50% of the radio stations in America and in which they basically abandoned local news coverage and emergency services notices. I bet you didn't know that did you?

During the 911 attack and recent major catastrophes in the U.S. such as tornado damage, there is no local radio emergency notices from local radio stations. Why? Because it is all automated at some central data bank that pumps the same music and programming to 100 other radio stations. There are very few "biggie" radio stations left in America that are still independent and not owned by a conglomerate. WRAL in North Carolina is one that still has local celebrities with local programming. However, even these independents will eventually be "squeezed out". For Sale signs are already going up on many of them because the stations owners know one thing, either sell now or lose everything they have worked so hard for in their local areas.

More Power In The Hands Of The Few and Fewer Independent Journalist Spells Trouble

Now that three corporations will be able to owns 95% of market news media, this means fewer journalists and independent ones will be reporting on many things, including exposing fraud, corruption of politicians and the list goes on and on of what will not be reported. Why? The executives of these corporations that own these news media corporations are also heavy contributors to politicians. Its the old story, "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours", but the scratching is what you, the American public will no longer receive in honest news reporting. You thought much had been not been reported by the news media before. Now, much more will now be hidden from you.

There Is Some Light At The The Of This Dark Tunnel

There is a small saving factor in all of this and it is the internet. These corporations will not be able to control the independent journalists on the internet. However, we independent journalists will eventually suffer as well. Most of us will be dropped by these corporations because we won't play ball by only reporting on certain things and not reporting on others. A few will be kept so that a "front" can be given on some issues to make you the American public not see how you are truly being manipulated.

There is some good news recently. The nation is finally starting to wake up to this atrocity against the American public. The FCC has received hundreds of thousands of protests and complaints. Some what I term, honest Congressman, both Democrats and Republicans are also alarmed. Groups such as Common Cause, The National Rifle Association and the Screen Actors Guild are enraged over this ruling.

What Other Journalists Are Saying

One of Americas more thoughtful, but often surprising conservative columnist, William Safire of the New York Times recently stated, "the concentration of power, either political, corporate, media, cultural - should not be ignored by conservatives." And John Roberts of the Chicago Tribune also recently stated that he deplores the "blatantly disingenous, if not dishonest, explanations being given by FCC Chairman Michael Powell and his"supporters" for their actions" Do I need to tell you who Powell's supporters are? Well, I'll tell you anyway. Over the last three years, the media conglomerates have spent over $80 million in the last year on lobbying for this and over $25 million in political contributions to certain Senators and Congressman, with whopping donations to the Republican Presidential Election Fund.

What Must Be Done Now - You Must Act!

The FCC has in my opinion done more than just make a mistake, they have insulted the American public for greed.

Congress must act NOW to reverse the FCC's irresponsible new rules that will cost the American public dearly. I strongly urge you that if you have read this column to become involved today. Contact your Senators and Congressman via phone, fax and email, all three and tell them NO to new FCC rules. What's more, tell your Congressman to make new rules limiting more ownership even further. Too much power has already been placed in the hands of a few. If you do not believe that then make sure you read my column,American Idol Final Vote - Is This Another $64,000 Scandal? and you'll read about certain corporations owning how many and what other news media outlets. An example of one corporation is the News Corporation. Murdoch's corporation which owns Fox Television. You will be surprised on the ownership of News Corporation of over 1,000 other media outlets, including ones overseas. Here is a list of News Corporations companies they own, News Corporation Subsidiaries - this is an actual filing of News Corporation subsidiaries with the Security Exchange Commission on the SEC site.

By the way, did you know that corporations from other countries can own news media outlets in the U.S. as well?

Write, Call & EMAIL Your Congressman Today!

Please contact your Congressman today. I cannot urge you more strongly. Please send an email to the Senate and House Committees that oversee the FCC lodging your complaint that these rules must be reversed. Please go to this page.

Send email letters to the Senate and House Committees that oversee the FCC. Lodge a complaint that these recent rules MUST BE reversed. You will find the contacts for both Senate and House Committes that oversee the FCC. There is also a letter already written that you can copy and paste into your email. You must, and, I stress the following, you must list your full name, address and telehphone number at the bottom of your email, otherwise it WILL NOT be recorded. There are also telephone numbers and fax numbers that you can either call and or fax your complaint to as well. Members of each committee are listed with URL links to their website if you wish to contact them also. Members on each committe are also listed if you wish to email them also.

These new FCC rulings must be reversed. The matter of free speech and press is in great peril here.

Have a great day!

~ David Lawrence Dewey