Media monsters - FCC Changes Sound Scary, But Bay Area Won't Feel a thing

Mercury News ^ | 6/8/03 | Charlie McCollum

[NormsRevenge]

If you listen to the critics of last week's federal decision to relax rules on media ownership, you would think Western civilization is about to end.

Just before Monday's final 3-to-2 vote by the Federal Communications Commission, one commissioner, Michael J. Cropps, suggested the change ``empowers America's new media elite with unacceptable levels of influence over the ideas and information upon which our society and our democracy so heavily depend.''

[NormsRevenge]

But here's the reality of what took place Monday: Concentration of the media in the hands of a very small number of companies already exists and has existed for years.

[Uncle Hal]

I do not know if any one else has noticed but the big liberal media companies have danced around this subject very carefully. Most of them are big media conglomerates themselves. As a result they generally have taken a more open minded attitude and not directly opposed expansion of these rules. Big money is a great equilizer when it comes to a liberal's politics.