Archive for August, 2008
Thursday, August 28th, 2008 by jstearns
Yesterday, what began as a click on a Web site became a national day of action in which local community members from Phoenix, Ariz. to Bridgeport, Conn. marched into their representatives’ local offices and urged them to stand up for better media.
In nearly 50 cities and towns around the country, local citizens delivered tens of thousands of petition signatures calling on members of Congress to support the “Resolution of Disapproval” that would veto the Federal Communications Commission’s latest handout to Big Media.
Last December, in the face of an unprecedented public outcry and pressure from across the political spectrum, the FCC voted to gut the longstanding media ownership rules that stopped one company from gobbling up TV stations and newspapers in the same community. Prior to that vote, people held rallies in Washington, D.C., and Seattle, filled public hearings in Chicago and Tampa and organized massive outreach campaigns to stop the FCC.
Now that the Senate has overturned the FCC decision, all eyes are on the House. And the public is stepping up again to remind their lawmakers that media consolidation is bad news for everyone. The outpouring of local opposition to media consolidation comes as Congress prepares to return to Washington from August recess. Yesterday’s day of action was part of StopBigMedia.com’s “100 Cosponsors in 100 Days” initiative.
Among the highlights:
John Crotty delivered six pages of petition signatures from residents of Missouri’s Second District to Rep. Todd Akin (R -MO-2). Crotty met with Rep. Akin’s press secretary, who said that the representative supported reining in media consolidation and fostering a media that better served local communities and our democracy. Rep. Akin voted to overturn the FCC’s ruling the last time they tried to gut media ownership rules in 2003.
Mary Tuma organized journalism students from the University of Texas for a visit to Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21). These future journalists spoke passionately about their concern for the role of the media in their community. “As a former journalist and member of the Subcommittee on Internet and Intellectual Property, H.J Res. 79 should be of importance to the congressman on many levels,” Tuma said.
This day of action was preceded by other in-district meetings in which StopBigMedia.com members had in-depth conversations about the media in their communities with their representatives.
In New Mexico, local citizens joined with community leaders to visit Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM-1) to talk about the impact of media consolidation on her district’s diverse communities. One of the participants, Jessica Lopez of the New Mexico Media Literacy Project, said, “Cross-ownership would not only diminish independent voices, but that of women and people of color, who own a very small percentage of stations and newspapers. Media consolidation affects not only who we see in the media and how they are represented, but also who is behind the scenes producing what we see, read and hear.”
Residents from suburban Chicago connected through StopBigMedia.com and organized a meeting with Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13). After delivering hundreds of signatures, Paul Sjordal said, “Having worked with the media for 28 years as an Air Force public affairs officer, I am very concerned that the quality of journalism has degraded to the point that it is not only misinforming American citizens, it has virtually ceased serving as a vital fourth estate.”
The reports keep rolling in from StopBigMedia.com members and each one is a reminder of the passion and commitment of the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken action to stop Big Media. Every click counts, every phone call matters, and every visit makes an impact.
I can’t help but imagine, “What if that day of action is followed up by thousands of phone calls and hundreds of thousands of letters? What if together we made so much noise that no politician this election year would dare defend another handout to Big Media?”
Well, we have a few weeks to find out. Yesterday was a big success, but we have a lot of work left ahead of us if we are going to win this fight.
3 Comments »
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 by Ben Byrne
On August 21, I visited the local office of my representative, Heather Wilson, along with four other constituents from New Mexico’s first district. While Free Press arranged the meeting, it was up to us as citizens to make the case for Rep. Wilson to co-sponsor a resolution to stop media consolidation (armed with materials Free Press provided, of course!).
I was a bit nervous — despite years of media reform activism and involvement, I’d never actually done anything like this before and was worried I’d do more harm than good. As it turns out, though, my fears were completely off-base.
The five of us sat down with one of Rep. Wilson’s local staffers, who was very friendly and patient as we introduced ourselves and explained what had brought us there. It was clear from the get-go that the staffer totally understood the importance of media in a democracy and recognized that news programming now covers more Britney Spears than Nancy Pelosi.
Each of us brought our own unique perspective to the issue. I focused mainly on the nuts and bolts of the FCC decision to allow more media cross-ownership and the particular legislation, the Resolution of Disapproval (H.J.Res 79), we were asking Rep. Wilson to support. Others talked more generally about a need for more diversity in media ownership and the disappointing lack of information the public has nowadays.
In addition to talking, we presented signatures Free Press had collected of other folks in our district who support the Resolution of Disapproval and some fact sheets backing up our case so that Rep. Wilson’s office had something to refer to after we left.
We had a healthy discussion for nearly an hour. The staffer seemed genuinely appreciative of what we had to say, listened well, and also gave us some insight into his own perspective, which was sympathetic but noncommittal. We made our case the best we could, and asked if we could expect Rep. Wilson to sign on as a co-sponsor. He said he’d pass along information about the bill and our concerns to the appropriate legislative aides in the D.C. office.
The staffer portrayed Rep. Wilson as one who governs with data more than ideology. He was interested in getting copies of the research behind our position, which I e-mailed him after our meeting. He promised to pass the information along to Rep. Wilson and told us he hoped to be able to give us her final position on the bill soon.
Did we get a member of Congress who was on the fence to add her name as a co-sponsor? I’m not sure; only time will tell. But I am sure that the meeting was worthwhile, that citizen meetings like this are nothing to be afraid of, and that they’re an effective way to demonstrate how we as citizens feel. I look forward to doing another one.
No Comments »
Thursday, August 21st, 2008 by megantady
What do a small-business owner and mother, a 61-year-old gay rights activist, an illustrator, and a retired Air Force officer have in common? They all want to stop media consolidation in their community.
Although they had never met before last week, Donna, Bob, Mary and Paul – all residents of Illinois’s 13th Congressional District – came together to meet with their member of Congress to call for better and more democratic media.
With the help of StopBigMedia.com, they met with Rep. Judy Biggert to urge her to support a House resolution to stop the FCC from allowing more media consolidation. The Senate has already unanimously passed a similar resolution to override the FCC’s decision.
In less than a week, hundreds of people like Donna, Bob, Mary and Paul, from towns across the country, will be dropping in on their members of Congress to speak out against media consolidation. This is democracy in action – but we still need help.
StopBigMedia.com has collected hundreds of thousands of signatures on a petition to stop the FCC’s giveaway to Big Media, but we need your help delivering those signatures to your lawmaker’s office. After you sign up, StopBigMedia.com will contact you to follow up and give you more information about being a part of this exciting and important event.
Sign up today to deliver petitions to your U.S. Representative. The more people that take part, the stronger our message.
No Comments »
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 by DianaGerardi
When supermodel and “celeb du jour” Anna Nicole Smith died, every news network pounced. Not only did coverage of her death become the leading U.S. news story for days, it also eclipsed news coverage of every other country, with the exception of Iraq.
Perhaps we could forgive our mainstream media if this was a one-time instance of journalism gone gonzo – but as Alisa Miller, CEO of Public Radio International, summed up during a presentation at this year’s Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference, our U.S. media consistently overlooks international news in favor of domestic coverage, celebrity gossip and junk news.
Miller points out the disappointing reality of the lack of international news in our media. After reviewing news coverage for one month – February 2007 – Miller discovered that 79 percent of total coverage focused on the United States, while the remaining 21 percent of coverage focused on international news – most of it on Iraq. Combined, China, Russia and India accounted for only 1 percent of news coverage.
It’s not because there’s simply nothing to report on the international scene that our media gives the rest of the world the cold shoulder. With the massive consolidation of U.S. news outlets has come the shutting of foreign news bureaus. Miller says U.S. news networks have reduced their foreign news bureaus by half.
Although media conglomerates like us to think they’re just giving us the news coverage we want, there is a large audience hungry for world news. It’s simply cheaper for Big Media to feed us the same stories rather than put resources into covering vital issues around the globe. Although media conglomerates have the funds to cover world news, they are hungry for ever-more profits to feed their shareholders and themselves.
But even as we clamor for more serious, informative and quality journalism, we’re left with news reels that leave us wholly unaware of the world outside Big Media’s purview.
It’s clear that our news media is bad enough, but the FCC wants to allow for even more media consolidation. I guess we can look forward to more of the same – or worse – unless we can stop the FCC. The Senate has already voted to nullify the FCC’s cross-ownership decision. Now it’s up to the House to do the same. And it’s up to you. Tell your representative that there’s an urgent need to stop further media consolidation. Our worldview depends on it.
No Comments »
Monday, August 18th, 2008 by jtorres
One of the highlights of the fourth annual UNITY: Journalists of Color convention last month in Chicago should have been the appearance of Sen. Barack Obama at perhaps the largest gathering of journalists in U.S. history.
The chance to see — and question — the presumptive Democratic nominee (his opponent didn’t make it to the Windy City) was the highlight of the event.
Watching someone who could be the nation’s first black president had to be inspiring for a room filled with journalists who spent their careers overcoming the toughest of barriers — a reminder it’s still possible to tear down the most improbable of walls.
But even Obama’s appearance couldn’t remove the shadow hanging over this gathering. I spoke with dozens of veteran and young journalists in Chicago and was surprised by the level of despair about the journalism profession, as well as their own job status. There was little hope of overcoming the obstacles being placed before them.
Most media companies, including newspapers, still make plenty of money. But Wall Street has placed unreasonable demands on companies to increase their profit margins. To accomplish this, news organizations have targeted the newsroom, cutting budgets, closing bureaus, and laying off thousands and thousands of journalists in just the past few years.
Minority journalists have been hit particularly hard. The American Society of Newspaper Editors reported in April that, for only the second time in 20 years, the number of minority journalists leaving the daily newspaper profession last year outnumbered minority journalists landing their first jobs.
The journalists I spoke with did not know how to fight back against this current onslaught; neither did they understand how the battles in Washington over media policy have impacted their profession.
Many journalists are unaware that their bosses have gone to Washington claiming — despite all evidence to the contrary — that greater media consolidation will save newsroom jobs and improve their news operations. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin cited this argument when the commission voted to lift the longstanding newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule — which prevents one company from owning a paper and TV station in the same market — last December.
Runaway media consolidation is the story behind the attack on quality journalism and the clear-cutting of our newsrooms. But you rarely read — and then, only inside the business pages — about media policymaking in the newspaper or hear about it on TV. You might read about jousting among competing media moguls. Maybe there’s a small story about layoffs. Very rarely does anyone connect the two.
In recent years, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists — despite receiving financial support from corporate media companies — have made the connection and spoken out against media consolidation (as has the Newspaper Guild). They must continue to keep up this fight and expand their efforts. But other journalist groups, like the Society of Professional Journalists, have not taken a stand.
Journalists and journalism groups must add their voices to the media ownership debate, just as they have spoken out strongly in favor of free speech issues and a shield law. Both issues impact the practice of journalism. If journalists do not speak out, their corporate bosses will be more than happy to fill that void.
It is also critical that journalists inform the public about the fight going on in Washington over media ownership rules. The public is too often excluded from participating in this debate even though they are the major stakeholder. Where would journalists of color be if it weren’t for the people of color who took to the streets to fight for racial equality during the civil rights movement?
If the public knew more about why the media is struggling, why they’re not represented equally, why the serious news they need is disappearing - perhaps they would demand that Congress and the FCC pass policies that support journalism institutions and independent news voices instead of weakening them
It is hard for journalists to imagine that the current crisis in the media industry is not a new one. Throughout our nation’s history, the emergence of new technology has always disrupted the traditional media system and the marketplace that supports journalism. It happened with the creation of the telegraph, radio, TV, cable and now with the Internet.
During the previous battles, the government always adopted policies that favored corporate interests over the public interest.
It doesn’t have to be that way this time. And if journalists join in the debate, we can build a media system that supports good journalism. That good journalism — holding our corporate and government leaders accountable — is what we need to nurture our democracy.
Journalists and journalism groups have to start fighting back if they want to once again feel hopeful about the future of their profession. This is not the time for journalists to hang their heads or flee the profession. Now is the time to fight back.
This article was first published on CommonDreams.org on August 14, 2008.
No Comments »
Friday, August 8th, 2008 by jstearns
This week Congress packed up their Bermuda shorts and suntan lotion and headed home for summer vacation. But just because our lawmakers are taking a break doesn’t mean we are. We’re spending the “lazy days” of summer busily making sure that Congress doesn’t forget about our media ownership concerns. We’re collecting petitions signed by you and your neighbors and are heading out around the country to deliver your demands to your lawmakers doorstep – even if it means interrupting a golf game.
You can help.
Over the next month hundreds of local citizens across the country are meeting up to plan creative events to push the House of Representatives to stop further media consolidation. On August 27th all of these events will culminate in a day of action across the country. These meetings will be an exciting opportunity to sit down with your member of Congress and make your voice heard. And the best part is how easy it can be.
With a few clicks, you can sign up to deliver an important message to your member of Congress at their home office. We are nearly halfway to getting 100 co-sponsors to support the “Resolution of Disapproval” (H.J. Res. 79) that would overturn the FCC’s decision to allow more companies to own more media — and your representative can make the difference in this fight.
Check to see if there is an event going on in your community, or sign up to start one.
These local meetings will allow your member of Congress to hear in person how families, small businesses and organizations in your community are hurt by media consolidation. Your representative needs to hear from people like you before they return to Washington this fall.
Back in December 2007, the FCC voted to relax media ownership rules, and we have been fighting to stop them ever since. Congress has the power to overturn the FCC’s giveaway to Big Media. The Senate, in a near-unanimous vote, has already acted to stop the FCC — now we need the House to do the same. It’s been a long struggle, but we won’t be taking the summer off.
If you want to turn up the heat on Congress this month, you can get involved right here at StopBigMedia.com. Be sure to sign the petition and look for meetings in your area. If there are no events planned for your member of Congress, don’t let that stop you. It is easy to contact your local policymaker’s office and set up a meeting with your representative or their staff. Contact us, and we’ll get you started.
No Comments »
