News

WASHINGTON — Free Press today released Out of the Picture 2007, an updated analysis of the impact of consolidation on minority and female television station ownership.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and Free Press today urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject the proposed XM-Sirius merger. In their report filed with the Commission, the consumer groups argue that joining the two satellite radio companies would eliminate competition and negatively impact American consumers.

WASHINGTON — Today, Free Press released Devil in the Details, a report exposing 10 key facts that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is hiding from the public about his recent proposal to lift the longstanding ban on “newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership.”

WASHINGTON — Free Press, Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union today submitted further evidence to the Federal Communications Commission detailing the devastating local impact of gutting the longstanding ban on one company owning both the major daily newspaper and broadcast stations in the same market.

WASHINGTON — Today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin released proposed rule changes that would gut the longstanding prohibition on owning a daily newspaper and broadcast stations in the same media market.

Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON — A coalition of public interest groups and technology innovators today formed the Wireless Innovation Alliance, a campaign to utilize valuable vacant broadcast airwaves — known as ‘white spaces’ — for wireless Internet access.

Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott issued the following statement:

SEATTLE — The Federal Communications Commission got an earful Friday at a packed media ownership hearing in Seattle. Although the public was given just five business days’ notice, more than 1,100 concerned citizens crowded into Seattle’s Town Hall to oppose new rules that would allow big companies to swallow up more local media.

WASHINGTON — At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) announced plans to introduce legislation that would halt the Federal Communications Commission’s rush to gut longstanding media ownership rules.

The following statement can be attributed to Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press:

“On late Friday afternoon, Chairman Kevin Martin announced the last so-called public hearing on media ownership for just one week from today — next Friday in Seattle.

WASHINGTON — Responding to Comcast’s blocking of Internet traffic, members of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition and Internet scholars at the nation’s top law schools today filed a petition and complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. The filings call for urgent action to stop violations of consumers’ right to access the software and content of their choice.