Friday, October 20, 2006
Media Ownership Rules
A message from Freepress.net, passed on from Joan Porte…
The Federal Communications Commission announced on Jan. 7 that the U.S. Solicitor General will not appeal the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision in Prometheus Radio Project vs. Federal Communications Commission to the Supreme Court.
That decision rejected the FCC rules issued in June 2003 that would have significantly loosened media ownership caps (details). Barring the unlikely event that the Supreme Court takes up the case anyway, the FCC now must go back to the drawing board and restart the entire rulemaking process.
We haven’t won yet. The industry lobbyists and their allies on the commission will try to sneak the same policies through the back door. The only thing that will stop them is if the millions of Americans who opposed media consolidation in 2003 remain vigilant.
Now is the time to demand the FCC take citizen input seriously. Add your voice!
Join thousands of other citizens in insisting that the FCC hold a public hearing in their states. With enough people taking direct action, the FCC will have no choice but to hear our message: Media should serve the public interest — not the bottom line of big corporations.
GO TO
to demand a hearing in VA
Over the past few months, Members of the FCC have taken part in official public hearings and unofficial town meetings in selected cities across the country. These hearings have provided a critical forum for average citizens to talk back to the FCC and the media in their communities. To ensure citizen input in its policymaking, the FCC should hold similar events in all 50 states.
Demand the FCC listen to citizens when it makes policy!
Demand an official hearing in
