FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: August 21, 2003
Contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Robert McChesney, (217) 344-2545
John Nichols, (608) 252-6482
Josh Silver, (413) 585-1533

Download a PDF of this press release (26.5 KB)

Faced with a national outcry so intense that Congress is moving to reverse his attempt to eliminate controls on media consolidation and monopoly, Federal Communications Commission chair Michael Powell's new localism initiative is an eleventh hour attempt to avoid a Congressional rollback of his recent media ownership rule changes.


"There is nothing sincere about the chairman's 'commitment' to localism. He is merely trying to avert Congressional intervention that could prevent him from delivering on the Bush administration's promise to make it possible for big media corporations to expand their reach at the local and national levels." said Free Press president Robert McChesney.


Powell deserves no praise. Throughout this spring's debate over whether to allow big media companies to consolidate their control over local markets, Powell rejected concerns about damage to local content and control. If Congress backs off and the rule changes are implemented, localism will be destroyed even as it is studied.


FCC Commissioner Michael Copps says, "We now hear that there may be localism issues after all. But what's going to happen when we study localism over the next year? The answer is: deals, deals and more deals. The answer is more standardized and homogenized programming. The answer is more indecency on the people's airwaves. The answer is less diversity of viewpoint and less coverage of local news."


Senator Byron Dorgan, a leading proponent of the rollback summed it up: "The chairman's statements (Wednesday) do nothing to remove the need to revoke these rules."

Congress is moving towards a rollback of some ownership rule changes passed by the FCC on June 2 by a 3-2 partisan vote. Public interest organizations and activists are gearing up for another major wave of petitions and public input demanding a rollback.

For more information, go to www.mediareform.net

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.