FCC Hearing on Media Ownership in Seattle

FCC Announces Agenda and Witnesses for
Public Hearing on Media Ownership
in Seattle, Washington

The Federal Communications Commission announced details of its Seattle, Washington field hearing regarding media ownership.

As previously announced, the hearing date, time, and location are as follows:

Friday, November 9, 2007

4:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Town Hall Seattle
Great Hall
1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Seattle, WA 98101

http://www.townhallseattle.org/greatHall.cfm

The purpose of the hearing is to fully involve the public in the process of the 2006 Quadrennial Broadcast Media Ownership Review that the Commission is currently conducting. This hearing is the sixth and final media ownership hearing the Commission intends to hold across the country. Previous FCC public hearings in the current review of media ownership issues were held in Los Angeles, CA, on October 3, 2006; Nashville, TN, on December 11, 2006; and Harrisburg, PA, on February 23, 2007; Tampa Bay, FL, on April 30, 2007; and Chicago, IL, on September 20, 2007.

The hearing is open to the public, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The hearing format will enable members of the public to participate via “open microphone.”

There will be two panels, each followed by a period for public comment.

Agenda and list of witnesses follows:
(All Times PST)

4:00 p.m. Welcome/Opening Remarks

4:30 p.m. Panel Discussion 1: Perspectives on Media Ownership

Mark Allen, President & CEO, Washington State Association of Broadcasters

Frank Blethen, Publisher/CEO, Seattle Times

John Carlson, Radio Talk Show Host, KVI-AM

Erubiel Valladares-Carranzo II, Technical Engineer, KPCN-LP 96.3 FM Radio Movimiento “La Voz del Pueblo”

Bernie Foster, Publisher, The Portland Skanner, The Seattle Skanner

Ray Heacox, General Manager, King Broadcasting Seattle

Elizabeth Blanks Hindman, Associate Professor, Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University

Diana Kramer, Vice President and General Manager, Puget Sound Publishing Company

Pamela S. Pearson, Vice President/General Manager, KCPQ/KMYQ-TV, Tribune Broadcasting Company

Jon Rand, General Manager, KAYU TV, Spokane, KCYU TV, Yakima, KFFX TV, Tri-Cities

Cheryl A. Salomone, Vice President and Market Manager, New Northwest Broadcasters – Tri Cities, WA

5:30 p.m. Public Comments

7:30 p.m. Break

8:00 p.m. Panel Discussion 2: Perspectives on Media Ownership

Abby Dylan, National Board Member, Screen Actors Guild Seattle

Bruce Fife, President, American Federation of Musicians, Local 99

Christina Romano Glaubke, Director, Children and the Media Program, Children Now

Joseph Orozco, Station Manager, KIDE 91.3 FM

Michelle Santosuosso, Former Vice President of Artist and Label Relations, Napster, Inc.

9:00 p.m. Public Comments

11:00 p.m. Wrap-Up/Adjournment

The moderator will be Louis Sigalos, Chief of the Consumer Affairs & Outreach Division, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, FCC

A live audio cast of the hearing will be available at the FCC’s website at www.fcc.gov on a first-come, first-served basis. The public may also file comments or other documents with the Commission and should reference docket number 06-121 when filing by paper or submit your filing electronically by going to http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi and enter proceeding number 06-121. Filing instructions are provided at http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/comments.html.

Sign language interpreters and open captioning will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation needed, and include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please make your request as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

For additional information about the hearing, please visit the FCC’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/ownership. Press inquiries should be directed to Mary Diamond at 202-418-2388 or to Clyde Ensslin at 202-418-0506.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-278029A1.doc