Greetings,

With such a robust conversation about minority ownership going on here at the Free Press Action Network, I wanted to share with you a letter I wrote to Chairman Martin at the FCC. I hope you will join with me in supporting Commissioner Adelstein's call for an independent panel on female and minority ownership.

September 26, 2007

Dear Chairman Martin:

I first
want to thank the FCC for holding its September 20^th hearing at the
Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago. The hearing was a rare opportunity to hear
from a segment of our population seldom asked for their opinion on media policy
issues, even though they are greatly impacted by your decisions.

During
the hearing, Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein called for the creation of an
independent minority ownership task force before moving forward with any effort
to change our nation’s broadcast ownership rules. Many who testified also supported Adelstein’s
call. And in recent days, Sen. Robert
Menendez (D-N.J.), Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.)
have endorsed the idea.

I would
like to add my voice to the growing chorus of support for Commissioner
Adelstein’s proposal.

Media
consolidation is a civil rights issue that the FCC can no longer neglect. People of color understand the importance of
media ownership in ensuring that our communities receive the news and
information they need.

In 1827, the founders of Freedom’s Journal, the first African-American
newspaper, wrote: “We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. … From
the press and the pulpit we have suffered much by being incorrectly
represented.”

These words are as true today as
they were 180 years ago.

People of color still do not have
equal access to our public airwaves because of a legacy of discrimination and
media consolidation.

According to research by Free
Press, people of color constitute just 7 percent of all full-power broadcast TV
and radio owners in the United
States but they make up 35 percent of the
population. This level of inequality is disgraceful.

I
support Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein’s call for the creation of an
independent task force. And I agree with the commissioner that the FCC should
not move forward with any rule changes until the work of the task force is
completed. I am willing to serve on such
a panel and help ensure its success.

The
lack of minority broadcast owners is one of the most important civil rights
issues of our time. For too long others
have spoke for us, and for too long the FCC has neglected to address how to
increase minority ownership.

We can
not afford to wait any longer. I look
forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

Founder and President

Rainbow PUSH