Press Release
FCC Chairman Powell is AWOL -- Again
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Washington – Federal Communications Commissioner Chairman Michael Powell says a “scheduling conflict” will prevent him from attending today’s official FCC Localism hearing in Monterey, California. Powell himself called for the hearing – one of six nationwide – after millions of Americans decried last year’s attempt to gut media ownership rules. A scheduling conflict also prevented Powell from attending the last hearing in Rapid City, South Dakota.
“The American public should be incensed,” said Free Press Managing Director Josh Silver, “that just last week Powell attended a series of industry events in nearby Menlo Park and San Francisco, but now he can’t attend the very hearing he called for. As always, Michael Powell has plenty of time for big media companies and no time for the people whose democracy is being compromised by his policy choices.”
“Powell’s policies have been rejected by millions of Americans, multiple votes in Congress, and most recently by the Courts. The FCC chairman is charged with protecting and promoting the public interest, but instead he and his corporate allies are attempting to destroy it.” said Free Press founder Robert W. McChesney.
The Monterey hearing, to be attended by FCC commissioners Copps, Adelstein and Abernathy follows hearings in Rapid City, South Dakota, Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Antonio, Texas. In San Antonio, the last meeting Powell attended, hundreds of citizens spent nearly seven hours decrying media consolidation. Two more hearings are scheduled in Portland, Maine, and Washington, DC.
Today, Free Press is reiterating its call for FCC hearings attended by all five Commissioners in every state. A similar call was made yesterday by Commissioners Adelstein and Copps, joined by several unions and members of Congress.
Free Press (www.freepress.net) is a national public interest group that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
“The American public should be incensed,” said Free Press Managing Director Josh Silver, “that just last week Powell attended a series of industry events in nearby Menlo Park and San Francisco, but now he can’t attend the very hearing he called for. As always, Michael Powell has plenty of time for big media companies and no time for the people whose democracy is being compromised by his policy choices.”
“Powell’s policies have been rejected by millions of Americans, multiple votes in Congress, and most recently by the Courts. The FCC chairman is charged with protecting and promoting the public interest, but instead he and his corporate allies are attempting to destroy it.” said Free Press founder Robert W. McChesney.
The Monterey hearing, to be attended by FCC commissioners Copps, Adelstein and Abernathy follows hearings in Rapid City, South Dakota, Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Antonio, Texas. In San Antonio, the last meeting Powell attended, hundreds of citizens spent nearly seven hours decrying media consolidation. Two more hearings are scheduled in Portland, Maine, and Washington, DC.
Today, Free Press is reiterating its call for FCC hearings attended by all five Commissioners in every state. A similar call was made yesterday by Commissioners Adelstein and Copps, joined by several unions and members of Congress.
Free Press (www.freepress.net) is a national public interest group that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
