Help With a Petition Needed

A couple of days ago I got an e-mail from Sign-On.org asking if I had an idea for a petition. I sat and thought about it for a moment, and told myself, yes, I do have an idea. So after 2-3 hours of drafting and shaping this thing, I got my petition on. Now I open my email telling me to share it with friends or it could be removed. I didn't want that to happen. I don't have Twitter or any of those other social pages since time is a factor for me. Then I thought about here. Don't know if this is the right place, but hopefully someone should like my idea. And BTW, this is the first time I've done this so I have no clue as how to promote it. I thought Sign-On did that. Finally, since I was in a hurry to draft this, I'm sure there could be tweeks to the language. Ideas are welcome. Below is text of my petition:




Subject: Restore the Airwaves to the "Public"
Hi,
As a former broadcaster, I have felt for some time there is a need to restore the "public" in the public airwaves. It began in 1996 when the Communications Act of 96 went into law. It was sold to the public and American people as a necessity for the broadcasters, but a bad deal for the public. At present, the law stipulates that a media company can have unlimited ownership of broadcast properties in a single market. This needs to change. Before this law went into affect, communities across the country enjoyed a varity of programming options: competing news stations. Competing music stations. Competing talk stations. The claim there is competition in the marketplace, but it has been squeezed into a compact cluster. Since the Act became law, diversity has taken a back seat. The multiple voices that once graced the airwaves have disappeared. Ownership rules also stated (prior to 96) that a broadcast company could cover no more than 25-percent of the market share. Now it is at 35-percent. This applies to both radio and television stations. This is purely a monopoly of the worst kind. At one time broadcast companies were only allowed to own no more than 12 of each broadcast property--nationally. Twelve radio (AM &FM combo's), and twelve television stations. This was known as the "12/12/12 rule". This rule had been adjusted upwards, but only slightly. Additionally, In a summary from Museum TV.com the manner in which an owner renews their license has also changed. "Terms of license for both radio and television have been increased to eight years and previous rules allowing competing applications for license renewals have been dramatically altered in favor of incumbent licensees. New provisions under the act prevent the filing of a competing application at license renewal time unless the FCC first finds that a station has not served the public interest or has committed other serious violations of agency or federal rules. This provision will make it increasingly difficult for citizen's groups to mount a license challenge against a broadcast station." The previous period for comment from the public on a license was prior to the end of a three (3) year term. This 8 year term for holding a license is blantely unfair to the public and communities everywhere. Its like the bully thumbing their nose at the powerless. Prior to this legislation, there was diversity in the airwaves. Especially on radio. There was diversity in music, talk, and educational programming--allowing free-form formats to exist on a college campuses across the country. Finally, there is a jobs component to this. After this legislation took affect, various broadcast publications estimated that approx. 75,000 jobs would go as a result of this bill. Repealing this legislation would restore jobs for writers, producers, reporters, camera operators, and technicians. We must restore the sanity and diversity that once existed on our airwaves. We must undo this legislation so our First Amendment can once again have meaning. I urge President Obama, and FCC Chairman Genachowski to bring back previous FCC regulations because our communities depend on it.
So I created a petition to President Barack Obama, which says:
"This is a petition requesting that President Obama, and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski initiate legislation, or new rules that repeals the Communications Act of 1996 so the "public interest, conveince, and necessity" is being served on our airwaves."
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/restore-the-airwaves?source=c.fwd.in&r_by=956291