The FCC:  The National Dialogue on Media and the Media Reform Movement

by Annette Walker

The media ownership and consolidation controversy, thrust into the

spotlight in 2003, has generated an historic national dialogue as well as a

growing Media Reform Movement. Never before have broad sectors of the

public had face-to-face contact with the august Federal Communications

Commission. Never before has the public felt a sense of urgency to express

its perceptions of media and its opposition to the corporate mergers and

takeovers that have changed the media landscape.

Capitol Hill observers have noted that since 2003 the ownership and

consolidation issues have moved from relative obscurity to prominence in

Congress. Several thousand individuals, mostly representing a plethora of

public interest, civic and community groups have testified at seven FCC

hearings about ownership regulations. Thousands more have testified

at Town hall Meetings sponsored by the Free Press, the largest of new

organizations that focus upon media issues. The two Democratic FCC

Commissioners usually participate in these Free Press meetings.

The root of this surge in popular participation is the section in the

1996 Telecommunications Act mandating that the FCC periodically

review its broadcast ownership rules to determine “whether any of such

rules are necessary in the public interest as a result of competition.” In

late 2002 the FCC, under the leadership of Michael Powell, initiated

a review and, following established procedures, invited the

public to forward comments to the FCC. Surprisingly,

within a few months over 16,000 messages had been

received. Most of the responses opposed media mergers.

Nonetheless, in June 2003, in a vote of 3-2 (there

are 5 commissioners), the FCC approved six mediaownership

rule changes that removed some of the

traditional limitations on ownership and gave media

companies more latitude.

Powell and the other Republican Commissioners

voted for the rules changes even though they knew about

the devastating results of the deregulation of radio provided

for in the Telecommunications Act. The classic example is

that in 1996 Clear Channel owned 36 stations and today owns

over 1200. There are several studies that demonstrate the local news and

programming has been deemphasized at Clear Channel and tends to be a

casualty after a corporate takeover.

Some Groups mounted a judicial challenge (Prometheus vs.

FCC) against the FCC decision. In June 2004 the Third Circuit Court

of Appeals, contending that some of the rules were “arbitrary and

capricious”, stayed their implementation. The U.S. Senate also passed

an resolution of disapproval. The Supreme Court refused to review the

decision. Therefore, the FCC now has to reconsider changes in

ownership rulemaking.

Late in his tenure, Chairman Michael Powell convened hearings in

Richmond, Charlotte and San Antonio. Since the Fall of 2006, Kevin

Martin, the new chairman, has convened hearings in Los Angeles,

Nashville, Harrisburg (PA), and, most recently, Tampa. He has promised

two more hearings this year.

Concern about the increase in media behemoths, the concomitant

decrease in small media ownership, and the adverse effect upon news and

public affairs and diversity programming have resulted in the inclusion

of media issues on the agendas of many organizations, such as Rainbow/

Push, Common Cause, the Consumers Union, the United Church

of Christ’s Office of Communication, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy

in Reporting), the National Organization of Women, the American

Psychological Association, the Media Access Project, the Project of

Excellence in Journalism as well as labor unions, trade associations, think

tanks and academicians.

The emergence of Free Press, dedicated to activism as well as analysis

and critique was serendipitous. Co-founded in late 2002 by journalist

John Nichols, activist Josh Silver and media historian Robert McChesney,

Free Press is headquartered in Massachusetts. Its presence, however,

is ubiquitous.

For the past four years Free Press has organized Town Meeting, which

are essentially alternatives to FCC hearings on media ownership and

consolidation. FCC Commissioners are always invited to participate and

the two Democrats, Michael Copps and Jonathan Edelstein, always do. At

the recent Columbus Town Meeting Robert McDowell became the first

Republican Commissioner to participate.

Free Press meetings have taken place in Albuquerque, Portland,

Dearborn (MI), St. Paul, Iowa City, Norfolk, Asheville (NC), Los Angeles,

Milwaukee, Austin, New York City, Oakland, Hyde park (NY), Seattle,

Philadelphia and Columbus (OH).

Free Press always partners with local groups. Among the co-sponsors

at the meeting in Oakland was the local NAACP; in New York City,

several Hispanic media organizations; in Columbus, the Metropolitan

Church Council and the United Church of Christ.

Free Press also has instituted biannual Media Reform Conferences.

The first took place in Madison, WI in November 2003.

Approximately 1600 journalists, activists and scholars attended.

The goals were to strengthen grassroots and national coalitions,

develop unified plans for immediate and long-term reforms,

and generate policies and strategies that will structurally

improve the media system.

Among the speakers was Civil Rights activist and

U.S. Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan). Other

speakers included Bill Moyers, Ralph Nader and Democratic

FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein.

Here was some criticism of the conference: high

registration fees, an emphasis on big names and insufficient

attendance by people-of-color. Some critics of the conference even

organized a parallel event. Some panelists participated in both conferences.

It is ironic that Free Press organizes alternatives to FCC hearings only

to have grassroots and community groups organize parallel events to its

conference. However, this clearly demonstrates the importance that people

give to the media.

The second Media Reform conference took place in 2005 in St. Louis

with approximately 2500 in attendance. The third occurred in January of

this year in Memphis with 3500 in attendance. Among the many speakers

were the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., actor and activist Danny Glover, Janine

Jackson of FAIR, deejay Davey D. and the Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the

Hip Hop Caucus.

Lisa Vives, director of Global News Network, which distributes

news and features on Africa and the developing world to mainstream and

alternative media, headed a delegation of African-American, Caribbean

and African journalists.

In September 2006 Free Press released its study entitled “Out of

the Picture: Minority and Female TV Station Ownership in the United

States.” It demonstrates how the elimination of traditional limits on media

ownership will have an adverse effect upon the already minimal levels of

minority and female ownership.

The nation awaits the FCC’s next move. Chairman Martin promises

two more hearings before the end of the year. However, what most

observes expect is a new strategy to allow far more mergers and

corporate takeovers.

Annette Walker regularly writes about the FCC.