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FCC Votes to Further Deregulate Big Media |
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As we’ve warned against for the last month, the FCC commissioners have just voted to further deregulate the rules governing media ownership (found here).
The three Republicans on the Commission, Chairman Kevin Martin, Deborah Taylor Tate, and Robert M. McDowell voted for the rule changes, while the two Democrats — Micheal J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein — voted against the measure, despite oppositions by both parties in the Senate.
Along with the opposition by groups like Free Press and Rainbow/PUSH, Congress has taken major issue with the FCC’s meeting today. On December 14th, the Senate sent a letter signed by 26 members on both sides of the aisle, urging the Commission to postpone the vote on the proposal without further discussion by the public:
When you proposed a new rule on the effects of communications towers on migratory birds, you allowed for a 90 day comment period. How could you decide to allow 90 days for a migratory bird rule and then shortchange the public on the media ownership rule?
The Senate is looking to effectively nullify the FCC’s rule change. Senators Kerry and Obama have sent a letter to Chairman Martin, threatening to cut funding for the rule implementation:
We believe that moving forward with this change will have a direct and detrimental impact on the state of media diversity. Should you decide to move forward with this vote against the expressed bipartisan, bicameral intent of Congress, we will approach Appropriations Committee Chairman Byrd with a request that funds be denied for the implementation of this rule.
There’s still time to act. Send a message to Congress and urge them to stop the FCC! http://action.freepress.net/campaign/sbmopenletter/
Take a stand — stop big media from further decreasing localism of news and suppressing minority ownership.
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