We are facing a media ownership crisis in the United States. People of color and women comprise more than two-thirds of our population, yet own very few of our country’s radio and television stations. Here are the facts:

• People of color make up 33 percent of the U.S. population, but own just 7.2 percent of all full-power radio and television stations.
  
• Women comprise 51 percent of the population, but own less than 6 percent of broadcast stations.

This ownership disparity means that people of color and women have few stations speaking out for their interests or serving their needs. And it means that few female and minority voices and viewpoints are heard on the public airwaves. That’s a national disgrace.

Stopping media consolidation is the single most important way to promote ownership by women and minorities.

• Read Out of the Picture 2007, a critical report that examines the devastating impact of consolidation on minority and female television station ownership.
  
• Learn about the dismal state of minority and female ownership in radio in Off the Dial

You can help promote media ownership by women and minorities by taking action at our StopBigMedia.com campaign.

The Free Press policy team is working to end the ownership crisis, amplify female and minority voices and demand media that reflect our country’s diversity. We’re leading the fight for media diversity in the halls of Congress and at the FCC.

In Congress

The most important piece of legislation introduced during the 110th Congress concerning media diversity was the Resolution of Disapproval (H.J. Res. 79). The resolution sought to rescind the FCC's December 2007 vote to lift the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership ban. The Senate passed the resolution by an overwhelming margin on May 15, 2008.

At the FCC

Click here to read docket materials filed by Free Press and allied organizations on media ownership and consolidation.