Congress sells out public-interest regarding Media Ownership

Release from Cong. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

http://bernie.house.gov/statements/20031216175917.asp

Statement of Congressman Sanders on 12/16/2003 regarding:

Backroom Deal on Media Ownership Sells Out the Public Interest


More than three million Americans have contacted Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), voicing their opposition to media concentration. Dozens of civic, religious, and public organizations-left and right-have joined forces to oppose the FCC’s decision. The Senate voted in September to strike down all of the FCC rules. The House has voted down one of the rules and sent a letter to the leadership signed by 205 Members of Congress calling for its chance to vote down all of them. In the face of this overwhelming public support and bipartisan agreement, what has the Congress done in the end? It has tossed the public interest out on its ear and catered to the profit margins of the media industry-a brazenly anti-democratic act.

We have managed to focus our final legislative efforts on only one of the three major rule changes-the least important of the three-which restricts the TV networks from owning stations reaching more than 35% of American households. The FCC voted to raise the cap to 45%. Conferees on the omnibus reached an agreement to hold it at 35%. The White House responded by threatening (with very little credibility) to veto the omnibus. The industry ratcheted up its lobbying pressure. A backroom negotiation was held, and a “compromise” was reached. The new limit would be 39%.

Why 39%? Coincidentally, Viacom and News Corp are both over 35%, unlawfully standing at 38.8% and 37.8% respectively. Raising the cap to 39% legalizes the status quo. Essentially, it deliberately rewards these companies for breaking the law by precisely accommodating their transgressions.

The good news is that the cat is out of the bag on this hoax of corporate-handouts framed as good public policy. The American people are up in arms and have proven in the last six months that media reform is an issue that is here to stay. Thousands turned out earlier this month in Madison, Wisconsin at the first ever National Conference on Media Reform to shout that message from the rooftops.

If you’re breathing a sigh of relief that the Congress has reversed the FCC and saved media democracy-make it a quick breather. This fight has just begun.

Besides nothing, as usual.

It slipped through a bigger bill quietly.

Who will hold their feet to the fire when there is no way of knowing the crime?

Before he goes out and picks daisies with the bunny rabbits.

Or he will be "troubled."

http://www.corpwatch.org/news/PND.jsp?articleid=6976

USA: FCC Rule Fight Continues in Congress

Opponents of Ownership Consolidation Also Plan Legal Strategy

By Frank Ahrens
Washington Post Staff Writer
June 4, 2003

Several lawmakers and advocacy groups vowed yesterday to fight in the courts and on Capitol Hill to overturn the Federal Communications Commission's new media ownership rules, saying they give big newspapers and broadcasters too much influence over public opinion and hurt smaller media companies.

On Monday, the FCC voted 3 to 2 along party lines to relax or eliminate some ownership restrictions, such as a rule barring media companies from owning television stations in markets where they publish daily newspapers. The commission's three Republicans, led by Chairman Michael K. Powell, voted for the changes, while the two Democrats dissented.

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) said he would file a "resolution of disapproval" to block what he called the "wrongheaded vote." Such a resolution can overturn rules set by regulatory agencies and requires a simple majority of each house of Congress to pass. In March 2001, a resolution of disapproval was used to strike down an ergonomics standard set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Even if the resolution were to pass both Republican-majority houses, it would require President Bush's signature.

Kerry, a presidential candidate and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said Monday's rule changes favor big media companies at the expense of small ones.
>>>>>>

When the bad press against Kerry was ramped up.

we can count on Bernie to fight the good fight. And I am sure Dennis will too.

Most of the people want more regulation. Even the most conservative fought the battle against loosening the rules on the media.

DeLay and his buddies won. Dean got criticized here for saying it. I could not understand why.

Congress once again, as in the Medicare bill, voted against the majority. That scares me. When they can do that, then the people lose their voice.

That's one reason I support Dean. At least he's talking about it.

You really believe that? Dean was given a press plane by the corporate media last June, shortly after Kerry said he'd file a Senate resolution against the FCC changes. It was also shortly after Rand Beers and Joe Wilson were joining Kerry's team.

Nothing to see here.

I was hoping to inhect some otehr issues without getting into the candidate crap. But I'll bite....Got a link for the Dean jet story?

"I will represent the public's interest in media ownership. These are our airwaves, and I will take them back."

::thumbs up:: to Bernie... he is one of the few who still cares about the people.