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Politics : Moderate Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dale Baker who wrote (1306)	5/14/2003 5:54:17 PM
From: epicure	Respond to of 20773

I totally agree.

To: Dale Baker who wrote (1306)	5/14/2003 6:47:22 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20773

Plenty of fat cat Democrats living off the political money tit in Washington too. There was a piece a few days ago about all the things in West Virginia paid for by the taxpayers that Senator Byrd has had named after himself. Here are a few of them: Robert C. Byrd Highway; the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam; the Robert C. Byrd Institute; the Robert C. Byrd Life Long Learning Center; the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program; the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope; the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing; the Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse; the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center; the Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center; the Robert C. Byrd United Technical Center; the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building; the Robert C. Byrd Drive; the Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex; the Robert C. Byrd Library; the Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center; the Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center. Yep, there is plenty of pork floating around for both parties. All paid for by you and me.

To: Dale Baker who wrote (1306)	5/14/2003 10:57:24 PM
From: Ron	Respond to of 20773

FCC is preparing to allow multinationals to increase their ownership of TV Stations in the U.S. Eloquent testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee against allowing conglomerates from snapping up more media outlets, including newspapers: Frank A. Blethen Publisher, Seattle Times “There is freedom in a variety of voices.” “There is, I believe, a fundamental reason why the American press is strong enough to remain free. That reason is, that, the American newspaper, large and small, and without exception, belongs to a town, a city, at the most to a region.” The secret of a free press is, “that it should consist of many newspapers decentralized in their ownership and management, and dependent for their support --- upon the communities where they are written, where they are edited, and where they are read.” These eloquent words were from noted journalist Walter Lippman more than 50 years ago. Today, we live in the America of Mr. Lippman’s worst nightmare. An America whose very democracy is at risk because we are on the verge of losing our free press. When I began my career, American democracy appeared secure. It’s foundation was the 1,700 newspaper voices deeply connected to the communities they served. Today, there are fewer than 280 of us independents left. Most in small communities. Concentration and monopolization feeding frenzy. Recently we saw the L.A. Times fall to a Wall Street-driven conglomerate. We are about to witness the same fate for the Orange County Register. Imagine, by the end of the year L.A. will no longer have a newspaper owned and managed by people who care about or are part of the city. This is our future if you permit repeal of the cross ownership ban and other FCC restrictions or monopolization. This Committee gave us a peek into this bleak future with your recent hearings on the abuses of radio concentration and cable rates. Less localism, fewer voices, less access, less ____ information and higher advertising and subscription rates. If cable rates and Clear Channel make you nervous, just wait for the monopolization feeding frenzy if cross ownership is repealed. Bigness and Power Corrupt More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson said he foresaw battles between “rapacious capitalism and democracy.” Jefferson understood that power and size, left unchecked, would invite abuse and would crowd out civic values and overwhelm the public’s interests. It is instructive that the only entities that want the rules repealed are the large Wall Street-driven conglomerates. They claim they need less competition and more monopolization to compete. Yet, these are very lucrative businesses. Monopoly Profit Margins They brag about newspaper profit margins of 30%, and up to 50% on broadcast houses. These are hardly businesses that need to worry about new competition. Ownership Matters Ownership matters. Lippman’s variety of independent voices gave us the structure for the press’ critical watchdog responsibility. Media concentration and Wall Street ownership has turned the watchdog into a lapdog. It has always been that the most serious problem in American journalism is not what we cover, but what we don’t cover. When the watchdog stops barking we are in trouble. The FCC rules discussion has been a big business, special interests discussion. Conducted in the dark, behind closed doors. Without the light of media scrutiny and the enlightenment of robust public debate. Why? Because the corporate entities that financially gain from monopolization now control most of what we read, see and hear. False Arguments The arguments made for less regulation are false. Yes, we have the Internet and we have hundreds of cable channels. But we all know most reliable news or information on the Internet or cable is generated from already existing newsrooms, almost always from newspapers. Simply repackaging and repeating someone else’s content is hardly new news. And besides, the very corporations who claim this is a new competition have already monopolized the most visited internet sites and cable ownership. There may be more access points, but there are fewer voices, and less competition. Action This committee has become the first line of defense in Jefferson’s battle to save our democracy from rapacious capitalism. There is no business justification that I’m aware of – other than monopolization – for lifting any of the current rules or for allowing any entity to engage in cross-media ownership. I am a businessman/journalist. As a local independent, I know how to make a profit to survive. I have no problem with profits. They are essential. But in our family, we make money so we can practice fiercely independent journalism. We represent and are beholden only to the citizens of the handful of communities we are privileged to serve. We are not beholden to Wall Street or any other powerful local forces. We are watchdogs. We are a fast-dying breed. America needs your leadership to take freedom of the press of the endangered species list. Thank you.