Seattle Times Spotlights Off the Dial
Posted June 13th, 2007 by Jen Howard
The Seattle Times — one of the few mainstream news outlets to consistently spotlight media issues — this week editorialized about Off the Dial, the new study by Free Press on radio station ownership.
The editorial describes the “depressing” lack of female and minority owners and the small number of women and people of color who are in upper management of corporate radio chains as the “ill effects” of consolidation.
But the authors find hope in the “correlation between minority- and female-owned stations and a market having both conservative and liberal programming.”
These results, says the Seattle Times, are “encouraging for democracy,” because they show “that a diversity of ownership creates an environment on the radio dial where diverse viewpoints are aired.”
The editorial closes with a word of advice to the FCC:
“The Federal Communications Commission should take Free Press’ work to heart. This is an important study that shows the nation’s impaired airwaves could be improved if new rules and laws are created to encourage female and minority ownership of radio stations.”
Read the Seattle Times editorial: “Female/Minority Power Needed in Radio“
