The Chicago Message: Protect Diversity, Hold Broadcasters Accountable

XIV. The Chicago Message: Protect Diversity, Hold Broadcasters Accountable

As the studies cited throughout this report demonstrate, local commercial television stations in Chicago are insufficiently attentive to issues of under-representation and misrepresentation of news and public affairs in minority communities. Yet the FCC is considering changes and waivers to ownership rules – including allowing for more cross-ownership of broadcast and print outlets – that would allow for more media consolidation, and would likely degrade the quality of news and number of minority and female owners of media outlets. In fact, as consolidation cuts back the already limited number of stations available, women and people of color have fewer chances to become media owners and promote diverse programming. At the very least, the FCC needs to monitor fulfillment of the localism principle more intently before loosening media ownership rules and, potentially, allowing increased concentration of media ownership in Chicago. In fact, it needs to enforce the rules it has had in place for decades.

At various times, Chicago has been an incubator for innovative programming, a leader in radio, TV and public broadcasting. Now, as the capacity of radio and television broadcasters multiples with the migration to digital technology, far from acting as a model, Chicago broadcasters are failing the community.

If the last five public hearings held in diverse cities such as Los Angeles, Nashville, Tampa and Portland, Maine are any evidence, it is likely that hundreds of Chicago-area residents will take advantage of their opportunity to urge the FCC not to weaken media ownership rules.

The FCC should listen to the overwhelming voices of the public – and evidence that media consolidation has not led to a better media marketplace – and reject proposals to weaken media ownership rules.