News

CHICAGO — This week, hundreds will attend a Federal Communications Commission hearing to tell all five commissioners how media consolidation has negatively impacted Chicago’s diverse communities.

WHAT: FCC Hearing on Media Ownership
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, 4-11 p.m.
WHO: FCC Commissioners, local leaders, media representatives and concerned citizens

WASHINGTON — Public interest advocates are seeking to uncover whether industry lobbyists or White House politics unduly influenced a recent Justice Department filing against Net Neutrality — the longstanding principle that prevents phone and cable companies from discriminating against Web sites and services.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Broadcasters has announced its intention to derail efforts to use valuable but unused broadcast airwaves — known as ‘white spaces’ — for unlicensed, wireless broadband. Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON — Thousands of concerned citizens are urging the Federal Communications Commission to limit the number of new radio licenses one group can obtain when the agency makes them available this fall.

In October, the FCC is opening a rare window for community and nonprofit organizations to build their own full-power, noncommercial radio stations across the country.

CHICAGO — The Federal Communications Commission will hold its fifth official media ownership hearing on Sept. 20 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters on Chicago’s South Side. The hearing will offer Chicago residents a rare opportunity to voice concerns to all five FCC commissioners about the nation’s lack of diverse media owners.

WASHINGTON — On Capitol Hill, in the media and across the country, support continues to grow for Low Power FM (LPFM) radio. A bill now pending in Congress would create thousands more community stations offering uniquely local news, views and music programming.

WASHINGTON — Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, today announced that the fourth National Conference for Media Reform will be held on June 6-8, 2008, in Minneapolis. Thousands of activists, artists, policymakers, journalists and concerned citizens from all 50 states are expected to attend the conference — the only national event devoted exclusively to reforming the media.

CHICAGO — On Sept. 20, all five Federal Communications Commissioners will meet face-to-face with the public at a hearing in Chicago to discuss sweeping changes to the nation’s media ownership rules.

WASHINGTON — Presidential candidates are pushing media reform into the public spotlight and onto the campaign trail with recent statements calling for a more open and democratic media system.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission yesterday asked for public comment on a series of proposals on minority media ownership — after nearly a year of inaction on the issue. In the landmark 2004 Prometheus decision, the FCC was ordered to address minority ownership proposals as part of its review of media ownership rules.