Byron Dorgan

The Times They Are a-Changin' for U.S. Telcos

Stevie Converse — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:00:51 -0800

Lawmaker Plans Bill on Net Neutrality

Stevie Converse — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:08:51 -0800

Senate Bill Would Block Pentagon Propaganda

Stevie Converse — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:07:48 -0700

On Monday, Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) introduced S. 3099, a bill that prohibits the Defense Department from using government funds to spread propaganda.

Senators Request GAO Study on Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:25:12 -0700

In a move designed to add teeth to the U.S. Senate’s May 15 vote against the revised media ownership rules ordered by the FCC in December, three lawmakers have requested a study of the issue by the Government Accountability Office.

Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. and Herb Kohl, D-Wis., signed the letter to the GAO requesting the study.

Cantwell Speaks on Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:29:25 -0700

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. has spearheaded the fight in Congress against the Federal Communications Commission's attempts to increase media consolidation. His tireless efforts paid off last night when the Senate passed a "resolution of disapproval," which will scrap the new cross-ownership rules adopted by the FCC in December.

Sens. to GAO: Study Access to Independent Programming

Stevie Converse — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:20:14 -0700

trio of powerful senators asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the state of independent programming.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps Responds to Senate Vote to Overturn FCC's Flawed Media Ownership Decision

Stevie Converse — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:34:59 -0700

In response to last night’s vote in the U.S. Senate, Commissioner Michael J. Copps issued the following statement:

CCIA Praises Vote Against Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:51:39 -0700

The Senate passed a joint resolution Thursday night that would nullify FCC action in December to loosen the rules on how many newspapers or broadcast stations one entity can own.

Media Concentration Still an Issue

Stevie Converse — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:16:09 -0700

It's not a surprise that the Journal supports increased concentration in the media ("Dorgan's Content Play," Review & Outlook, May 13).

Democracy and the Web

Stevie Converse — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:09:19 -0700

Users of the Internet take for granted their ability to access all Web sites on an equal basis. That could change, however, if Internet service providers started discriminating among content, to make more money or to suppress ideas they do not like. A new “net neutrality” bill has been introduced in the House, which would prohibit this sort of content discrimination.

Senate Votes to Reverse FCC Decision Allowing Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:55:19 -0700

Thursday night, the Senate cast a near-unanimous vote to reverse the Federal Communication Commission's December 2007 decision to let media companies own both a major TV or radio station and a major daily newspaper in the same city.

Historic Senate Vote Rejects FCC's Rules

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:01:05 -0700

WASHINGTON -- In a near-unanimous voice vote tonight, the Senate passed a "resolution of disapproval" that would nullify the Federal Communications Commission's latest attempt to dismantle longstanding media ownership limits.

Senate Votes to Block FCC's Cross-Ownership Rule Change

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:55:07 -0700

The Senate Thursday night voted, without debate, to invalidate the Federal Communications Commission's Dec. 18 decision to loosen the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule.

U.S. Senate Vote on FCC Veto Imminent

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:48:46 -0700

As early as tonight, the Senate will have its last chance to roll back media consolidation, and your senators could cast the deciding vote. All of our work to stop runaway media conglomerates could come down to your senators!

Senate Votes to Nix FCC Rule on Media Ownership

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:45:50 -0700

The Senate unanimously voted Thursday to block a key media ownership rule from the Federal Communications Commission, defying a veto threat from the White House.

The rarely invoked procedural motion is an attempt to stop changes in the media ownership rules, approved by the FCC last year, from taking effect.

Kohl, Feingold Must Oppose Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:13:44 -0700

On issues of media consolidation and monopoly, Wisconsin Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold have "gotten it" for a long time.

Reid to Schedule Vote on FCC-Blocking Resolution

Stevie Converse — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:39:19 -0700

Look for the Senate within the next two or three weeks to vote on a resolution to invalidate the Federal Communications Commission's newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule change, according to a staffer for the resolution's co-sponsor, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.).

Writers Guilds, West and East Support Senate Resolution of Disapproval to Curb Media Consolidation

Stevie Converse — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:49:27 -0700

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have expressed public support for U.S. Senate Resolution 28 – a resolution of disapproval that, if passed, would overturn a recent Federal Communications Commission decision allowing for the consolidation of newspapers and local television stations.

Big Media Slams Proposal to Roll Back Cross-Ownership Rule

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:46:45 -0700

Rarely has one Federal Communications Commission filing provoked as much ire as this. Thirteen major broadcast and newspaper groups have filed lengthy denunciations of a public interest group's appeal to redo the FCC's recent relaxation of its TV station/newspaper cross-ownership ban.

Media: Citizen Murdoch

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:03:12 -0700

When you’re trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, it helps to have a bulldozer.