Localism and diversity should be FCC's priority

LOCALISM AND DIVERSITY SHOULD BE FCC'S PRIORITY
[SOURCE: The Seattle Times, AUTHOR: Scott McCaughey]
[Commenatry] Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin has a lot on his plate, what with his rush to alter existing media-ownership rules in favor of giant media conglomerates. He'll be in Seattle on Friday for the sixth and final public hearing on media ownership, which will examine the prudence of relaxing current stipulations. Jet lag is tough, but the crowd Martin will encounter here is likely to be even tougher. Instead of rushing to loosen or eliminate current media-ownership rules, the FCC should instead expand and strengthen opportunities for community and noncommercial broadcasters. Policymakers need to recognize not only the failures resulting from previous consolidation, but also the public's overwhelming rejection of further moves in that direction. It's nice that Martin is bothering to hold hearings -- his predecessor didn't care to. But, these events need to be more than just puppet shows to appease dissenters. Congress needs to make it clear that changes to media ownership rules will not be tolerated until the issues of localism and diversity are reconciled to the benefit of the public, whom the FCC is mandated to serve.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004000448_music08.html?sy...

* FCC must embrace the digital age
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: Ryan Blethen]
[Commentary] The loss is heard, watched and read. Substantive news and entertainment have become quaint relics in America, like music on vinyl or news on paper. The degradation of the press and media was not always so glaring. The ill effects of consolidation took time to work into the lives of readers, listeners and consumers. Once the bottom-line mentality of corporate media became clear, the issue shot to the top of the public's conscience like a bullet. The failures to protect the press and media are many, the blame widespread. The panicked state of the newspaper industry is attributable to consolidation that happened during the past four decades. Newspapers are no longer beholden to a city or region, but to the number-crunchers of distant chain ownership. The same is true of television and radio. Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are the two most culpable entities for creating a broken media model. Americans need Congress and the FCC to create a process that takes into account this new world, and recognizes how far the media have fallen because of bad policy.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004002866_ryan09.html

* Make your voice heard for diverse, local media
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein]
[Commentary] Today, Seattle is ground zero in the fight over the future of the American media. The residents of Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest are the only ones who will have the opportunity to voice concerns for millions of their fellow citizens. Whether you are concerned about local news, children's and family programming, or local music, we want to hear you.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004002854_adelstein09.htm...

* FCC in Seattle: time to listen
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Media ownership matters. It matters to towns, cities, states and regions whether the folks who run the news outlets are of the community. Arguably, the world's best radio station is from Seattle. KEXP-FM is a listener-supported station that sets music trends, and has a worldwide following on the Internet. The Seattle Times is one of the last family-owned metro newspapers in the country, and Seattle's ABC-TV affiliate is owned locally by Fisher Communications. Seattle has a vibrant minority press, with publications such as Colors NW and Northwest Asian Weekly. The media diversity of Seattle is no longer the norm in most American cities. That is why Seattle is the perfect place to conclude the public hearings, and why Seattle needs Lott's and Dorgan's bill, which should be passed by the Senate. At the very least, it will slow the FCC from adopting disastrous changes to media-ownership rules.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004002800_bille...

* For more on the hearing today in Seattle see:
http://www.benton.org/node/7985