Take The Media Consolidation Fight To Their Front Door

by Jason Rosenbaum :: Filed Under Media Issues :: October 29th, 2007 @ 3:15 pm EST

Media consolidation isn’t an issue that makes headlines or spawns nation-wide protests. It’s a stealth issue. One day you wake up and every single news outlet in the country is owned by one company. You just didn’t realize how bad it was until too late.

However, there is a sizable portion of the population that is actively concerned about media issues. Lately, they have been organizing around public hearings the FCC has been having around the country, led by Free Press and other activist networks. As Free Press explains:

These hearings are an extremely rare opportunity to tell the FCC about the state of your local media, how well your needs are being served, and how you feel about the increasing consolidation of media ownership. The FCC hears from broadcasters’ lobbyists and lawyers every day. This is your chance to make sure they hear from you!

However, these hearings are notoriously unfriendly to everyday people. The meetings are often on weekdays during working hours, assuring that many “average” people can’t attend. Still, citizens who attend these meetings overwhelmingly speak out against consolidation.

Perhaps the FCC is getting fed up. Their latest hearing was scheduled five days in advance, for 9 am on Wednesday morning. That’s hardly any time to get the word out.

Free Press, undaunted, is pushing back. They are asking any and all members of the public who are concerned about the state of localism and consolidation in today’s media landscape to rally at the hearing. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 31st, at:

9 a.m. ET
Federal Communications Commission Headquarters
445 12th Street SW
Washington, D.C.
(map)

I urge anyone in the DC area who is concerned about media issues to attend. I will try and make it myself (though, of course, I have work that day, like most people). If you can’t attend, Free Press has other ways to get involved.

Seminal readers, what are your thoughts on media issues? How can average Joe get involved and affect positive change?