Deal between BushCo and Big Media may be broken

Under Powel's son the FCC ruled to change the ownership limits for TV stations from 35% to 45% of viewership and allow companies to own both TV and newspapers in a local market.

For all you guys that like to connect dots:
"Due to mergers and acquisitions, Viacom Inc., which owns CBS and UPN, and News Corp., owner of Fox, already exceed the 35 percent limit."

It would seem that large media companies had a deal going with BushCo: they would provide favorable coverage for BushCo and the war. In exchange BushCo and buddies would liberalize these ownership laws to allow them to become bigger monopolies.

Funny thing is it looks like that deal is breaking up, taking out two birds with one stone for us:
"Top Republicans conceded Tuesday they could not stop the House from voting to block the Federal Communications Commission from expanding the number of television stations that companies can own, despite a Bush administration veto threat."

If you look at media coverage these days (sorry all I get from the US is CNN; I'm in Germany) it looks like critique is back in style.

I don't know what's better media companies competing for ratings to expose BushCo's frauds or the idea of a republican congress passing bills Bush will veto! I hope I'm not being tooo optimistic here, gosh this looks good. :-)

Sorry about the salon link I can't seem to find this AP article anywhere else:
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/07/23/fcc/index.html
Though I did find this one:
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/columnists/6360128.htm

My first post :-)

I heard on television that the FCC and Congress heard from ONE OUT OF EVERY HUNDRED AMERICANS they they did not want more media consolidation and that NINETY NINE PERCENT of the people who contacted the FCC were opposed to it.

Thanks for the post. This is such an important issue!

welcome to DU

The rejection of the FCC megalomania is not the result of House Republicans suddenly getting back in touch with their souls. It's the result of very hard work by an organization called moveon.org that encourages US citizens to be be more proactive in politics.

If anyone here hasn't heard of them, please check out the website. They are doing wonders.

If Bush vetoes this decision, his dictatorial ambitions will be so clear, even to Repugs, that it will help doom him in the next election.

http://www.moveon.org

that there is huge opposition to this in the underground libertarian christian movement. These people have been running "free-lance" stations all over the country and are opposed massive media consolidation as well.

So the house repubs are getting an earful from both sides.

"The swiftness of the bipartisan motion -- and the support from Republican Sens. Conard Burns, R-Mont., Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas -- raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill, "The fact it was supported by traditional broadcast friends like those senators signaled that the issues had moved beyond a traditional progressive issue and cut across both parties," says Michael Bracy, director of government relations for the Future of Music Coalition, which opposes media consolidation. "
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/07/23/fcc/index1.html
Sorry for quoting them so much but they've been doing a good job following the story.

"The procedure is being spearheaded by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., as well as Lott, the former Senate majority leader. His participation is unusual since he's normally a staunch ally for network broadcasters who's also breaking ranks with the White House and Republican leadership on the high-profile media issue."

I never thought I'd be on thanking Lott for anything.

Wow thanks, guys my little thread is taking off!!!

Yeah, its great. When sen. John McCain is backing the 'liberal agenda' then you know Bush is really losing control.

Dude, awesome name!!!