The State of the Media

THE STATE OF THE MEDIA
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Now that President Bush has delivered his the state-of-the-union address, B&C asked some other presidents -- and chairmen, CEOs, executive directors and commissioners -- to weigh in on the state of the media. Whether celebrating the arrival of the digital future or grappling with media ownership, all agree that 2007 will be a year of great possibilities.

1) Bob Wright, NBCUniversal: If you're a diversified media company with good results in most of your areas, you're probably fine. There are areas of weakness, however. If you're more narrowly focused -- in an advertiser-dependent print business, for example -- you're having a tougher time.

2) FCC Chairman Kevin Martin: Mark February 19, 2007 on your calendar -- the digital TV transition offers broadcasters the opportunity to offer new services and create new revenue streams. "Policymakers should assist broadcasters to carefully manage the digital transition. Fostering new services while protecting existing ones from interference must be a priority. Equally important, however, is meeting the Communications Act's basic requirements that the digital signal be viewable by all TV watchers and that it not be materially degraded by a cable or satellite provider.

3) House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell: "we must not forget that large companies still control much of what we see and hear, and it is incumbent on all of us to remain vigilant, such that a glorious diversity of voices remains the hallmark of our national and local media landscape."

4) FCC Commissioner Michael Copps: Media ownership concentration imperils localism, diversity and coverage of "great issues and controversies facing our democracy." The FCC "can do a far better job than it has in defining what broadcasters must provide the American people in return for free use of the spectrum."

5) Jeff Chester, Center for Digital Democracy: It is the worst of times; it is the best of times -- media giants operate without regard for the public interest, financial concerns squeeze newsrooms, and journalism failed the country in the lead up to the war.
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