Media Consolidation Press Releases

Free Press: FCC Must Address Barriers to Entry in Media Ownership

Jenn Ettinger — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:31:46 -0500

WASHINGTON -- On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it will solicit ideas for new research on barriers to entry for small businesses and underrepresented groups to participate in the communications and media industries.

News Corp.’s Admission of Guilt Shouldn’t Fall on Deaf Ears in Washington

Jenn Ettinger — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:35:44 -0500

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, News Corp. admitted to British officials that “senior employees and directors” of the company’s British newspaper division, News Group Newspapers, knew about illegal phone hacking by News of the World staff “and sought to conceal it by deliberately deceiving investigators and destroying evidence.”

Free Press: FCC Ignores Public by Pushing Failed Ownership Policies

Jenn Ettinger — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:33:41 -0500

WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission proposed rules that would further weaken media ownership limits for local newspapers and broadcast stations. The agency's proposal is strikingly similar to one adopted in 2007 under former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.

Public to FCC: We Don't Want More Media Consolidation

Jenn Ettinger — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:15:04 -0500

WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, Free Press delivered a petition with more than 30,000 signatures to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski urging him to make the public, jobs, and journalism the top priorities in the agency's imminent review of media ownership rules.

Free Press: Is FCC Chairman Repeating Past Mistakes in Media Ownership Review?

Jenn Ettinger — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:19:50 -0500

WASHINGTON – On Monday, Free Press sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski in response to reports that the FCC may be reconsidering harmful and unjustified changes to the longstanding ban on one company owning broadcast stations and a daily newspaper in the same market.

Hundreds Gather to Protest Outside News Corp. Shareholders’ Meeting in L.A.

Jenn Ettinger — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:42:15 -0400

LOS ANGELES -- On Friday, hundreds of people gathered on the street outside News Corp.’s annual shareholders’ meeting to protest the media giant, which has been embroiled in a scandal over allegations of widespread phone hacking, bribery and extortion.

The loose affiliation of groups that demonstrated on Friday -- including Common Cause, OccupyLA, Free Press,

Friday at MIT: 'A Robot Sent to Destroy Me' -- The New Media Invasion and the Future of News

Jenn Ettinger — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:17:22 -0400

BOSTON -- On Friday, Oct. 21, Free Press and Participant Media will host “'A Robot Sent to Destroy Me': The New Media Invasion and the Future of News.” This panel discussion will explore the influence of new media on the future of news and how this shift impacts the news and information needs of communities across the country.

Free Press to Host 'Owning Our Airwaves: A Community Dialogue with Media Policymakers'

Jenn Ettinger — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:54:45 -0400

PITTSBURGH -- On Monday, Sept. 26, Free Press is hosting a community dialogue on the state of the media in Pittsburgh, Pa. featuring Rep. Mike Doyle and Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps.

Free Press Statement on Citadel-Cumulus Merger

Jenn Ettinger — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:00:21 -0400

In response to the Federal Communications Commission's approval of the Citadel-Cumulus merger, Free Press Policy Counsel Corie Wright made the following statement:

New Jobs Study Confirms AT&T–T-Mobile Merger Would Put Thousands on the Unemployment Line

Jenn Ettinger — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:03:14 -0400

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of the Department of Justice’s lawsuit to block the AT&T–T-Mobile merger, Charles River Associates today released a study of the impact the merger would have on jobs. The study confirmed Free Press’ assertion that combining AT&T and T-Mobile would kill thousands of American jobs.

Free Press Applauds Justice Department for Blocking Anti-Competitive AT&T–T-Mobile Merger

Jenn Ettinger — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:59:11 -0400

WASHINGTON -- Today the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit in federal court to block the proposed $39 billion merger between AT&T and T-Mobile. In announcing the suit, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sharis Pozen said, "Anyway you look at it, this deal is anti-competitive."

FCC Restarts Merger Shot Clock

Jenn Ettinger — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:23:58 -0400

WASHINGTON -- On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission restarted its shot clock for the AT&T–T-Mobile merger review. The announcement follows the submission of AT&T’s fourth and final revision of its economic models on which it is basing its case for the T-Mobile acquisition.

Free Press Research Director S. Derek Turner made the following statement:

Hail Mary Falls Short for Media Companies Seeking to Eliminate FCC Ownership Rules

Dave Saldana — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:47:15 -0400

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit threw out a case brought by media companies seeking to have that court eliminate in their entirety the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules. The case was a last-ditch effort by newspaper giant Media General to get the D.C. Circuit to hear its arguments after the U.S.

Free Press Praises FCC Decision to Combine Transaction Reviews

Jenn Ettinger — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:50:24 -0400

WASHINGTON -- Late Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would combine its reviews of AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile and AT&T's acquisition of spectrum licenses from Qualcomm.

Campaign Uncovers 22 New Covert Consolidation Deals

Jenn Ettinger — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:23:36 -0400

WASHINGTON -- SavetheNews.org has uncovered 22 more covert consolidation deals in its “Change the Channels” campaign. So far, more than 100 cases have been documented of local TV newsrooms combining operations to circumvent the Federal Communications Commission's media ownership limits at the expense of independent, local journalism.