Obama: FCC Policies Must Encourage Media Ownership Diversity

Obama: FCC Policies Must Encourage Media Ownership Diversity Monday, October 22, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Amy Brundage, 202 228 5511

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin J. Martin, calling on him to launch an independent review panel to develop proposals to further promote media ownership diversity. According to press accounts, following an insufficient 30-day review, the FCC intends to modify existing ownership rules by allowing greater media market consolidation. This would allow large media outlets to become larger, potentially cutting out small business, women and minority-owned firms. Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play an important role in the African American and Latino communities and help bring minority issues to the forefront of our national dialogue. However, the Commission has failed to recognize the vital role these outlets play in our democracy and has not done enough to further the goals of diversity in the media.

In the letter, Obama also asks for the FCC to reconsider the Chairman’s proposed consolidation timeline and start a public review of any specific proposed rule modifications. He also asks Martin to complete a study of the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate.

Obama and Senator John Kerry have previously written to Kevin Martin asking him to address the issue of minority media ownership, and the impact that new rules would have on opportunities for minority, small business, and women owned firms.

I am writing regarding your proposal to move forward aggressively with modifications to existing media ownership rules. According to press accounts, you intend to present specific changes to existing rules in November with a Commission vote on that proposal – whatever it may be – on December 18, 2007. I believe both the proposed timeline and process are irresponsible.

Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play a critical role in the African American and Latino communities and bring minority issues to the forefront of our national discussion. However, the Commission has failed to further the goals of diversity in the media and promote localism, and as a result, it is in no position to justify allowing for increased consolidation of the market. Moreover, 30 days of public review of a specific proposed change is insufficient to assess the effect that change would have on the media marketplace or the rationale on which any such proposal is based.

While the FCC did commission two studies on minority ownership in the round of 10 studies it ordered at the beginning of 2007, both suffered from the same problem – inadequate data from which to make determinations on the status of minority media ownership or the causes for that status and ways to increase representation.

It is time to put together an independent panel, as Commissioner Adelstein has recommended, to issue a specific proposal for furthering the goal of diversity in media ownership. I object to the agency moving forward to allow greater consolidation in the media market without first fully understanding how that would limit opportunities for minority, small business, and women owned firms.

I also object to the Commission’s propensity to vet proposals through leaks to the press and lobbyists. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report in September 2007 titled, “The FCC Should Take Steps to Ensure Equal Access to Rulemaking Information.” In that report, GAO found that: “Situations where some, but not all, stakeholders know what the FCC is considering for an upcoming vote undermine fairness and transparency of the process and constitute a violation of the FCC’s rules.” The report went on to state: “This imbalance of information is not the intended result of the Communications Act and it runs contrary to the principles of transparency and equal opportunity for participation established by law and to the FCC’s own rules that govern rulemaking.”

In the wake of that report, I find it disturbing that, according to the New York Times, the Commission is considering repealing the newspaper and television cross ownership rules. It is unclear what your intent is on the rest of the media ownership regulations. Repealing the cross ownership rules and retaining the rest of our existing regulations is not a proposal that has been put out for public comment; the proper process for vetting it is not in closed door meetings with lobbyists or in selective leaks to the New York Times.

Although such a proposal may pass the muster of a federal court, Congress and the public have the right to review any specific proposal and decide whether or not it constitutes sound policy. And the Commission has the responsibility to defend any new proposal in public discourse and debate.

This is not the first time I have communicated with the agency on this matter. Senator Kerry and I wrote to you on July 20, 2006, stating that the Commission needed to address and complete a proceeding on issues of minority and small business media ownership before taking up the wider media ownership rules. Our request echoed an amendment adopted by the Senate Commerce Committee in June 2006. And last month, at an FCC hearing on media ownership held in Chicago, I requested that the FCC put out any specific changes that would be voted on in a new notice of proposed rulemaking so that the American people have an opportunity to review it.

In closing, I ask you to reconsider your proposed timeline, put out any specific change to the rules for public comment and review, move to establish an independent panel on minority and small business media ownership, and complete a proceeding on the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate.

Added to the list: The list

Fourth week in office:

Obama states his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine while historically supporting the suppression of talk radio by FCC “Ownership Diversity”

the White House is looking to install a small video or computer screen into the podium used by the president for press conferences and events in the White House. "It would make it easier for the comms guys to pass along information without being obvious about it," says the adviser.

Obama is disses the Brit's most famous and stalwart leader, Winston Churchill by returning the most famous bust of the man loaned to this country by the United Kingdom in the aftermath of 9//11

Obama has begun to indicate that he's willing to reconsider the Bush administration’s push to deploy a ballistic missile defense system, contrary to his repeated campaign promises to the contrary.

Obama's main advisor David Axelrod changes his goes back on Obama's position on the Fairness doctrine. He would not give definitive answer and left room for the Fairness Doctrine to be revisited.

Obama administration will participate in planning for a UN conference on racism dubbed "Durban II," despite concerns that the meeting will be used by Arab nations and others to demonize Israel.

The Obama administration pledges to the Palestinian Authority it will closely monitor Jewish construction in the West Bank and will protest any new housing developments in the biblical territory.

Obama wants to drop sanctions against the murderous military junta in Burma (Myanmar)

The Environmental Protection Agency says that it will consider whether to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants, in a potential reversal of Bush administration policy.
Lisa Jackson, the new E.P.A. administrator under Obama, has granted its petition that the agency reconsider a controversial decision in December by Stephen Johnson, the Bush administration’s E.P.A. administrator, stating that officials weighing federal applications by utilities to build new coal-fired power plants cannot consider their greenhouse gas output.

Third week in office

Obama changes the setup of the National Security Councel by executive order
Shauna Daly, professional “dirt digger” hired as “White House councel research director”
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel got free housing from House rep (D) Rosa DeLauro for 5 years . DeLauro is married to Stan Greenberg; a pollster (Quinlin Rosner Research) with lucrative contracts from both that representatives.
A Syrian paper reported that the Obama U.S. Dept. of Commerce agreed to sell plane parts to Syria
A lawyer for the Obama administration surprised a panel of federal appeals judges by making an argument to preserve state secrets in a trial regarding terrorism subjects. This argument was made, after repeatedly attacking the Bush administration for doing the same thing.
President Obama said Monday that "only government" can shake the country out of recession, as he tried to settle doubts about his administration's costly economic recovery package during a prime-time press conference.
Obama reverses Bush policy on 'warming' Federal agencies settle long-standing case in favor of environmentalists. The U.S. will now refuse to help finance development overseas if the environmental establishment claims that it would contribute to 'global warming
Deborah Burlingame, a 9/11 family member who lost her brother Chip during the 9/11 attacks, spoke to media at the National Press Club about her meeting with President Obama.
He said he was not at all worried about the security of the American people in bringing the detainees here. Not in the least worried about that. His reasoning was this: ‘ Al Qaeda doesn’t have conscience they’re not interested in going back and springing these guys. They’re forgotten once they are put away in our federal facilities. He said, furthermore there are so many soft targets in the United States, like a shopping mall, why would Al Qaeda go after a hard target like a federal lock up or military prison, when they could choose a soft target.’
Burlingame later added that Obama was “non-committal” about visiting Guantanamo Bay when she asked him
Interior Secretary Salazar Kills Bush Offshore drilling plan Saying “we need bring sanity back into our energy policy….
Obama gave two high level positions to former Citibank executives (Jacob J. Lew, and Michael Froman) who helped run Citibank into the ground and raises questions of conflict of interest .
Republicans are shut out of the Stimulus conference negotiations.
Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind):“(the stimulus package…)is being crafted without a single House Republican in the room.”
Obama in 2007:End the Practice of Writing Legislation Behind Closed Doors: (from Obama’s website: http://change.gov/agenda/ethics_agenda/)
Defense lobbyist William Lynn approved as deputy defense secretary. Obama waives ethics regulations by putting the ex-defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon. Obama violates promise to keep lobbyists out of the federal government. On his first day in office, Obama issued an executive order forcing individuals to wait two years before they could be hired for the agencies they had lobbied, violating his own executive order less than three weeks in office.
Obama appoints Gil Kerlikowske to be the nation’s new drug czar. Kerlikowske has established himself as a devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal.
Obama controls the press core at the White House: Chicago Sun Times Writer Carol Marin writes: “The press corps, most of us, don't even bother raising our hands any more to ask questions because Obama always has before him a list of correspondents who've been advised they will be called upon that day.”
Obama demonstrates dangerous ignorance of the Classified Information Procedures Act or CIPA by the president. This was witnessed by Debra Burlingame, sister sister of Charles Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77 that was flown into the Pentagon on 9/11, at White House meeting of families of terrorism victims
President Obama today repeated the claim that Jim Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar, Inc., "said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off." But after the president left the event, Owens said the exact opposite.
Defending the White House in the wake of Sen. Judd Gregg's withdrawal as Commerce Secretary, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said it is not "amateur hour"
Obama Now Believes Iran Is Nuke Threat. In 2007, Obama said the opposite, “"It is absolutely clear that this administration and President Bush continues to not let facts get in the way of his ideology."
"They need, now, to aggressively move on the diplomatic front."
"They should have stopped the saber rattling -- should never have started it," said Obama.
Obama interfering with Israeli Government Formation
The U.S. official position is that it looks forward to "working with any government," but in back-channel messages the Obama administration has made it clear it would like to see a unity government in Jerusalem over a narrow right-wing government which would in all likelihood result in a freeze in peace talks with the Palestinians.
Aides to Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday that Washington officials did indeed relay the message while associates of Kadima chief Tzipi Livni denied receiving such a message.

Obama brakes campaign promise to wait 5 days before signing any legislation on stimulus bill. Second time he broke this promise in his first month in office

(Rest of the list may be viewed at my FR profile page)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.