As expected, the FCC today relaxed a 32-year-old ban preventing a newspaper from owning a radio or TV station in the same city.
The partial lifting of the ban would allow a newspaper to merge with one radio or television station in the nation's top 20 media markets, as long as the TV station is not one of the top 4 in that city. Essentially preventing a newspaper from buying a station affiliated with either of the four major television networks, ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox.
The meeting was unusually quarrelsome, with the two Democratic members of the FCC - Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps (pictured above: the first two from the left, respectively) - have been strongly opposed to the rule change.
"We generously ask big media to sit on Santa's knee, tell us what it wants for Christmas, and then push through whatever of those wishes are politically and practically feasible," said Copps.
"No test to see if anyone's been naughty or nice," Copps continued, "just a big shiny present for the favored few who already own an FCC license and a lump of coal for the rest of us. Happy holidays."
"The FCC has never attempted such a brazen act of defiance against Congress," said Adelstein. "Like the Titanic, we are steaming at full speed despite repeated warnings of danger ahead. We should have slowed down rather than put everything at risk."
The Commission voted 3-2 along party lines with the two other Republican commissioners backing FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to approve the controversial rule change.
It's hard to say whether a similar scenario would apply for the Sirius-XM merger vote, but Copps has already stated he has "very serious worries" about consolidation in general. SiriusBuzz points out that the two Democratic commissioners cited the publics comments as their motivation for their opposition. But in the Sirius-XM process, the majority of the comments submitted were in favor of the satellite radio merger (well, sans those dubious form comments generated by the NAB). So it will be curious to see what Copps and Adelstein will have to say when it comes time to vote.
[via RadioInk, Washington Post]
Next, the merged XM/Sirius will ease their affiliation with 0.0. Enjoy them on podcast! HEY NOW!!!
Here we go.... Rupert Murdoch gets out his HUGE check book and forces us to Now READ and WATCH MORE Right-wing propaganda. Bush, Cheney, Mukasey,Martin, Murdoch, all these guys are the same and have one thing on their mind.....CONTROL. The Repugnicans in general gotta go.
You have your head up your ass if you don't think both major parties yearn for ever more control.
The question now is when they will get around to the XM/Sirius merger, and what exactly was in the rules they "adopted" without discussion just prior to todays meeting.
The next month and a half or so should be quite interesting.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the merged Sirius-XM company will be bought out by some large media conglomerate. It's too lucious a fruit on the tree for them to pass up. With just one check they can own forever and ever the entire satellite radio spectrum. There will be a lot of money made with this arrangement. Advertising money will start pouring in. Why only reach one city with a local station when you can reach the entire North American continent (more will follow like all of South America)?
Mrwirez what right wing propaganda in the media are you talking about?
OK you have FOX can you give me another example of this?
The media is very left wing and they don't even try to hide it anymore?
This is not any kind of Good.
And it has its roots back with none other than U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who slammed affirmative action programs designed to maintain and to promote diversity.
http://christopher-king.blogspot.com/2007/12/kingcast-provides-clarence-thomas.html
He intentionally delayed a vote back in '91 that would have expanded protections for women in media. He delayed the vote because he thought it would have a negative impact on his Supreme Court Judicial appointment, and not only that, he really applied strict scrutiny instead of the mid-level scrutiny used in sex cases.
"He said in the decision that the Federal Communications Commission's policy of giving preference to women was unconstitutional because it denied equal protection of the laws to white men."
The decision flew in the face of recent case law established by the Brennan Decision in Metromedia v. FCC as noted in these NYTimes links one and two.
mullah cimoc say aemeriki not having him free press. for save ameriki nation usa people must to make new federal communication law:
1. each tv station and each the radio station must be own 100% by person live within physical area serve by tv station. this call the local ownership.
2. no single person to owning more than 1% of any one tv station stock certificate. this make the diverse ownership.
3. abolish him networks, abccbsnbcfox. then to letting local own station form own networks with power from bottom up (flow from shareholder to board of director to ceo), not him top down like now in usa.
4. this keep the free press and stop the rupert murdoch type man keep all ameriki so stupid if buy him corporation which to own so many station and newspaper and radio and keep ameriki the stupid people.
after follow mullah cimoc method benjamin frankling to be the proud.
for true info: stop1984now@yahoo.com
Mrwirez obviously doesn't pay attention to CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, NPR, or the New York Times. Because those aren't left-wing at all. Please. There is no "fair and balanced" media out there.
This has nothing to do with Murdoch btw. If you read the article: "Essentially preventing a newspaper from buying a station affiliated with either of the four major television networks, ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox."
It's all about Tribune.
this is incredibly bad news. i cant believe this is happening. more brainwashing.
Let's all predict when this country will once again jump into Civil War.
I say by 2039.
John,
Americans are too apathetic to ever be in a Civil war. Once it affected their Startbucks fo TV watvhing, they fold.
Why do the Reps have hair and the Dems don't?