FCC Hearing on Media Ownership in Seattle on Nov 9

FCC HEARING ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP IN SEATTLE NOV 9
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission announced the sixth and final public hearing on media ownership issues will be held in Seattle, Washington on Friday, November 9, 2007. The hearing will take place at Town Hall Seattle from 4 to 11pm (PST). 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, Florida on April 30, 2007; and Chicago, Illinois on September 20, 2007. 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-277867A1.doc

* Joint Statement by Commissioners Copps and Adelstein:
A hearing with only five days notice is no nirvana for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. This smells like mean spirit. Clearly, the rush is on to push media consolidation to a quick and ill-considered vote. It shows there is a preordained outcome. Pressure from the public and their elected representatives is ignored. With such short notice, many people will be shut out. We received notice of the hearing just moments before it was announced. This is outrageous and not how important media policy should be made.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-277869A1.doc

* Second Battle of Seattle? FCC's Democrats call short notice for Seattle hearing "outrageous"
http://www.lasarletter.net/drupal/node/497

* FCC Schedules Seattle Ownership Hearing
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6497149.html?rssid=193

* FCC Democrats: Media Ownership Forum Has 'Mean Spirit'
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6497157.html?rssid=196

* Seattle Hearing Is a Charade (Free Press)
"This is another slap in the face to the American public. Chairman Martin’s determination to ignore millions of concerned citizens, Congress and simple fairness is outrageous. It is now crystal clear that Chairman Martin could care less about what happens to our local media. This whole process has been a charade."
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=298