Big Media: F.C.C getting ready to make it even BIGGER!

Fcc Chariman Kevin Martin is trying to rush a new media ownership law which would make it a lot easier for media groups to own local newspapers, radio stations and over-the-air local television outlets in one market. Wall Street Journal reports on some opposition to rushing this new law into effect by some senior House Democrats. Bill Moyers on PBS reported thoroughly exactly what is going on with this controversial ownership loosening, which Martin is going to pass with little public debate!! Some on the senate are forming bi-partisan opposition to this pro-monopoly loosening of ownership laws. Senators Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss, yep, that Trent Lott) are introducing legislation which would "put the people first ahead of big media".

Freepress.net and stopbigmedia.com set up a way for you to contact your senator to voice your support for the Dorgan-Lott legislation.

Keep in mind ( as I'm sure most our readers understand) media has been grately consolidated already, for example let us take a look at what General Electric/ NBC already owns (as tracked by stopbigmedia.com and freepress)

Television networks: NBC Networks, Telemundo

Cable: A&E, History Channel (part), NBC Entertainment, NBC News, NBC Sports, NBC Television, NBC Universal, CNBC, CNBC World (Arabia, India, Asia, Europe), MSNBC, Bravo, Sci Fi Channel, Sundance Channel (part), Trio, Telemundo, USA, and Weather Plus

38 Television stations in 23 markets, owned under the "NBC Universal" division. These include NBC affiliates, Univision affiliates, and a small number of independents.

and Motion Pictures: NBC Universal (80% ownership): Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Rogue Pictures. Universal has production agreements with Imagine Entertainment, Jersey Films, Tribeca Films, Shady Acres, the Kennedy/Marshall Company, Playtone Company, Strike Entertainment, Type A Films, Depth of Field, Stephen Sommers and Working Title Films (Europe)

You get the idea......... What is the next step for the big media giants (GE/NBC, Disney /ABC, New Corp /Fox, CBS, Viacom, Clear Channel), maybe merging with say AT&T or Verizon Or Comcast or Time Warner or Cablevision , the largest internet access providers in the country?? This is where issues such as net-neutrality come into play. Net Neutrality means no discrimination. Net Neutrality prevents Internet providers from speeding up or slowing down Web content based on its source, ownership or destination (as per savetheinternet.com) Imagine 5 or 6 huge conglomerates owning all the cable outlets, local radio, local television, newspapers and controlling the internet as well??

We are headed down that road.

The debate on passing this new de-regulatory law will come to an end soon. Sign the petition I mentioned before if you value a free press and do not wish for the free market gone wild neo-conservative ideology to destroy our free press forever. An entire media controlled by a few huge owners is not a free press...........