Unions Support Resolution
The presidents of the Communications Workers of America, The Newspaper Guild–CWA and National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA called on the Senate to support Sen. Byron Dorgan’s (D-N.D.) “resolution of disapproval” that would overturn the FCC’s Dec. 18 decision to allow one company to own both a major daily newspaper and a broadcast station in almost every market in this country.
The three unions said the new rules would “result in less local news, fewer minority owners and job cuts,” adding that it “would lead to devastating consequences for the diversity of media and quality journalism that are the foundation of our democracy.”
The three unions are among a number of organizations that represent media professionals who have called on the Senate to overturn the FCC’s decision, including the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the UNITY: Journalists of Color.
Martin has called the new regulations a modest tinkering of the ownership rules. It is anything but that. Giant loophpoles in Martin’s new rules make them nothing more than speed bump for companies to own a newspaper and broadcast station in the same market.
The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to mark-up the legislation later this month.
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