Christy!

Another zed?

Congrats, Biodun. Once again you’re right on top of things.

Common Cause says it well: “It’s eerily similar to what happened in 2003, when Michael Powell’s FCC voted for rules to allow massive media consolidation without public input… It seems that Kevin Martin hasn’t learned his lesson. He wants to lock the public out of this decision. That’s not acceptable.”

what a stupidly naive comment. of course, martin’s learned from michael powell. who gives a shit what the public thinks — it’s all about control. and the repukes are very good at grabbing unchecked power.

Ann in AZ:

Yes, ma’am. Thanks! That aural message always works….*g*

Good thing media consolidation hasn’t prevented them from giving us the real news. I’m sure everything will be just fine…

Oh well, I tried.

I guess I have a politically incorrect question: Can somebody explain to me why it’s important for minorities to own TV stations?

Anymore, the only thing that local stations really produce is the local news. You can’t survive if you’re not linked to a network and their hours of programming. I just don’t see how a local owner can make much of a difference.

I think local ownership is a red herring, if we’re going to make improvements we need minorities in decision making positions at the networks.

Boxturtle(Got a minority owned station here, you couldn’t tell the difference between it and any other network station)

boxturtle at 7 — Minority ownership is only one part of the puzzle of trying to get multiple perspectives in the media ownership box — not just having in a very few, very similar hands and viewpoints. It just happens to be the issue which has the most recently scheduled vote on the table.

And when you come from a community which has traditionally been shut out altogether from the communications process, it’s important to at least have an opportunity to speak up a bit. Amy Goodman has done some great pieces on this at Democracy Now — I don’t have links handy, but I’m sure a search of their website would turn them up.

Can somebody explain to me why it’s important for minorities to own TV stations?

You need someone to spell out the answer for you?

where could this mysterious consolidation have come from?

oh yeah:

The telecommunications deregulation of 1996 under the Clinton administration has led to a concentration of media in the hands of a few corporate marketeers such as Clear Channel. Before 1996, a media corporation could only own two radio stations in any one market, and no more than 28 stations nationwide.

but nothing matters when the Axiom of the Least Worst still holds - a nominee by the name of Clinton will still be supported by most who claim to oppose such retrograde policies.

I see CHS @ 8 has already responded to my question @ 9.

egregious @ 6

Good thing media consolidation hasn’t prevented them from giving us the real news. I’m sure everything will be just fine…

LOL, this is an example of the rot in the machine. As bad as the White House (first tier) or the major departments (second tier) are, it is in the more obscure recesses of government that much of the damage of the Bush and Cheney Administration occurs. The modus operandi is simple. They look at the mission of the organization and stack it with people who believe the exact opposite.

Sporkovat — Did I miss the announcement of “let the perfect be the enemy of the good day” or what? *g*

Biodun @ 9

Can somebody explain to me why it’s important for minorities to own TV stations?

You need someone to spell out the answer for you?

The only way we know anything is from the information we receive. The public airways, TV and radio, are primary sources of the information. The fewer the corporations controlling the airways, the fewer the deciders limiting/interpreting the information we get. OK?

Biodun @ 9

Can somebody explain to me why it’s important for minorities to own TV stations?

You need someone to spell out the answer for you?

Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have asked. Look, I AGREE with the idea that more diverse broadcasting is desireable but I just don’t see how LOCAL ownership makes a difference. You could turn any of our local stations over to a minority and I doubt you see ANY difference at all. But just ONE VP in charge of programming at any of the major networks would make a heck of a difference.

Boxturtle (I think we’ve got a limited supply of ammo and we could pick a better target)

Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have asked.
Really nice, even response.
Good for you.
We all have better and not so better mornings. I’m glad you took the high road.
(No offense, Biodun.)

Just finished “The Big Con” (How Washington go hoodwinked and hijacked by crackpot economics) by Jonathan Chait.

Pretty good- especially the first part.

He makes the point that the gooper gospels on economics were never promoted by any recognized economists and that even those who helped sell em said “It doesn’t matter if they’re true- they make good politics”. He also uses recent economic data to show that the predictive power of the “theories” is in minus territory… not a bad read.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 8

boxturtle at 7

And when you come from a community which has traditionally been shut out altogether from the communications process, it’s important to at least have an opportunity to speak up a bit. Amy Goodman has done some great pieces on this at Democracy Now — I don’t have links handy, but I’m sure a search of their website would turn them up.

I agree, but I want to make a difference. A 8am Sunday local talk show on UHF channel fifty-something isn’t watched by many. The netowrks make the decisions and the decisions are based on money not alternative viewpoints. That’s where we need to make the change.

Boxturtle(BET is a good start, if they can broaden their appeal without sacrificing their diversity)

CHS @ 13

just my usual grumbles.

Instructive to note what New Labour has turned into over in the UK - they were once roughly comparable to the (D) Party, with the Thatcherite Tories as fearmongering (R)’s, but the Laborite leadership has morphed into Bush sycophants with serious totalitarian tendencies … gotta keep eyes open to historic actions of elements of both parties to keep track of drifting. >end ramble

rwcole @ 17

Just finished “The Big Con” (How Washington go hoodwinked and hijacked by crackpot economics) by Jonathan Chait.

Pretty good- especially the first part.

He makes the point that the gooper gospels on economics were never promoted by any recognized economists and that even those who helped sell em said “It doesn’t matter if they’re true- they make good politics”. He also uses recent economic data to show that the predictive power of the “theories” is in minus territory… not a bad read.

Glad someone wrote that. They aren’t following any economic doctrine that I’m familiar with.

Most of the problem of media consolidation is that the media is owned by corporations that have higher priorities than informing the public. So much for having a free and vibrant press.

Cahn

I enjoyed it- another theme is that reporters don’t understand shit about economics- or anything that has nummbers in it- so none of the outrageous claims made by goopers never get attacked. Instead we get bullshit about “body language” and who wore the best suit.

That last is a fairly commonplace observation I suppose- but true nonetheless.

demi @ 16

Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have asked.
Really nice, even response.
Good for you.
We all have better and not so better mornings. I’m glad you took the high road.
(No offense, Biodun.)

I learned a long time ago that some things that were obvious to me weren’t obvious to others…and vice versa. So sometimes I ask what seems to others a stupid question.

Boxturtle(Only way to learn)

boxturtle @ 15

Biodun @ 9

You need someone to spell out the answer for you?

Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have asked. Look, I AGREE with the idea that more diverse broadcasting is desireable but I just don’t see how LOCAL ownership makes a difference. You could turn any of our local stations over to a minority and I doubt you see ANY difference at all. But just ONE VP in charge of programming at any of the major networks would make a heck of a difference.

Boxturtle (I think we’ve got a limited supply of ammo and we could pick a better target)

Have you ever lived somewhere that Sinclair Broadcasting is one of the owners? Sinclair centralizes just about everything. Their “local news” shows are broadcast from their headquarters (in Baltimore IIRC). They push their own agenda while giving the appearance of “objective local broadcasting.” They have their managing editor giving editorials without any rebuttal.

Yeah, local ownership is especially important and having a minority as an owner may not seem to be a big deal but it can in fact help to get different perspectives out there, even if only in limited ways such as getting on extra minority hosted show or on the news desk. Small steps are necessary to take those thousand mile journeys.

edit: Nor does it preclude getting some competent folks at the national level as well.

I watched the Moyers program last night and it made me want to protest this next FCC debacle. Thanks for the email link. We are getting rolled by this appointed board. I only hope things get reversed when Dems get control again. That should be our collective goal.

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-SD) and Trent [Lott] (R-MS) have introduced legislation which would require the FCC to remedy the relative lack of minority media ownership before implementing any rule changes.

Knock me over with a feather.
Trent Lott?

Kevin Martin, married to Catherine Martin of VP Cheney’s office.

Trent tryin to remodel his image?

demi @ 16:

None taken. (But you already know that…*g*)

Bio…
Last time we spoke, you said my friend looks like a playboy.
Fell off my chair.
Let’s leave that can o’ worms unopened and at the back of the pantry?
You’re not coming to LA for Thanksgiving by any chance?
No? Paris?

The LA Times actually has noticed this - probably because it will affect them.

Bad reviews pile up for FCC chief’s plan

Martin wants to loosen ownership rules and end debate within weeks. Lawmakers, activists and industry object.
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 19, 2007
WASHINGTON — The last time federal regulators tried to change the rules on how many media outlets companies could own, the effort bombed like a bad movie. The sequel appears to be headed for the same fate.

The Federal Communications Commission’s examination of media ownership restrictions, moving along slowly but smoothly just a few weeks ago, has suddenly devolved into a mess similar to the one that doomed proposed rule changes in 2003. Activist groups have risen up in protest and some members of Congress are complaining about what they call the agency’s flawed and rushed effort to help media giants at the expense of average Americans.

[snipped]

It mentions several of those objecting to this, including Dorgan.

ketcham @ 27

Kevin Martin, married to Catherine Martin of VP Cheney’s office.

nee currently Cathie Martin of the WH press office. Yep, funny how they all get around, isn’t it?

ketcham @ 27

Kevin Martin, married to Catherine Martin of VP Cheney’s office.

That should be enough explanation for anyone!

OT..FYI

As Ken Vogel outlined over the weekend, the Edwards campaign’s plan to obtain public matching funds for the presidential primaries has hit a potential snag because of the campaign’s widespread use of ActBlue for its online fundraising.

kos

Hopefully the FEC will resolve this issue quickly; not likely.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 32

ketcham @ 27

Kevin Martin, married to Catherine Martin of VP Cheney’s office.

nee currently Cathie Martin of the WH press office. Yep, funny how they all get around, isn’t it?

Open the dictionary to nepotism and you get a group photo of BushCo.

Very, very important Christy. One of the biggest reasons it’s been possible to game the system so badly is due to media consolidation in so few hands.

No doubt Murdoch would be furious.

OT Glenn Greenwald put up a post Sunday in which he took apart a really nutty op-ed by Tom Friedman. He went on to note a vacuous hit piece on Hillary Clinton by the deep thinking and very serious Maureen Dowd. He mentioned briefly another op-ed by the dopey duo of Fred Kagan and Michael O’Hanlon in which they seriously suggested stealing Pakistan’s nukes. I found this one the most dangerous of the lot. Kagan is from the American Enterprise Institute and O’Hanlon is from Brookings which just goes to show that it’s not important what think tank you are from as long as you are in the tank.

Anyway this is a long way for me to get around to say that there is now a fourth weird op-ed up at the NYT. This time it is by Danielle Pletka vice president of the American Enterprise Institute pooh-poohing Condi and Bush’s efforts wrt North Korea and Israel-Palestine from a neocon perspective.

The Times it seems continues to give a large chunk of its editorial page to any neocon or nutter who bothers to send in their scribblings. After all the mistakes and disasters that the neocon and other loose cannons agenda has produced, after they have been consistently and catastrophically wrong for years, the Times is still willing to give them a home. Even for me, cynic that I am, I have to admit being a little overwhelmed by just how in the pocket of a deeply unpopular Presidency, the worst in our history, the Times and the MSM are.

demi:

Staying in Minneapolis for Thanksgiving. But I’ll be in LA around February or so, and we can paint the town red, as they say. (When I said your friend looked like a playboy, I meant that as a compliment…*g*)

Jane,
Would be furious?
I think he might just laugh.
Do you know if anyone from his deep pockets follows this site?
Offhand question.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 8

boxturtle at 7 — Minority ownership is only one part of the puzzle of trying to get multiple perspectives in the media ownership box — not just having in a very few, very similar hands and viewpoints. It just happens to be the issue which has the most recently scheduled vote on the table.

And when you come from a community which has traditionally been shut out altogether from the communications process, it’s important to at least have an opportunity to speak up a bit. Amy Goodman has done some great pieces on this at Democracy Now — I don’t have links handy, but I’m sure a search of their website would turn them up.

True, in theory. But the reality is that the big money is able to usually find a conservative Republican minority to take the reins. Skin Color =Political Orientatation. At least not any more than Local Ownership relates to local content. You might get that if it was run by a city government…but not if it’s controlled by a local multi-millionaire.

You can usually only get these things if the ownership is compelled to include diverse viewpoints, cultural programs, and local produced content in their broadcasts. But even if the owner is a local they can affiliate with a network and completely by-pass local production. Most radio-stations have the DJ’s/News/and Music all piped in via satellite. The DJ’s record voice overs for local ads, the station ID’s, and a few other things. Some are very subtle at offering seemingly local contests with only the phone number differing. Unless they screw up the audience wouldn’t realize that they are listening to the same thing at the same time as listeners in Lubbock, Spokane, Phoenix, and Gary.

About the only truly local stations are those down at the far left hand side of the dial…excluding the Family Radio Network and many NPR stations (which have mandatory requirements that keep down the local content because it “ruins the brand”).

OT but may be important. I was just cruising the SCOTUS blog and found this. It seem that the Chamber of Commerce here in CA is attempting to contest a law meant to level the playing field in unionization drives.

Where are Dodd, Feingold, Sanders and the other progressive leaders in the Senate?

I’d be really surprised if any of these guys didn’t support the legislation. But then again, we’ve been living in an Evil Parallel Universe for some time now.

This issue is a perfect example of why I don’t understand our dem leaders. Fixing the media should be a top priority. It’s in their best interest to do so. The media is the reason we’re in the mess that we’re in. The media is intent on destroying dems and boosting repubs and corporations. I don’t understand why the dems don’t have people working on this specific issue.
Same goes for guaranteeing fair elections.

I updated above with a link to an Editor and Publisher piece that is worth a read.

Gee, I wonder why they are in such a hurry to completely control the entire media….

Hmmmm….why did Hastert resign so suddenly??? Questions, questions, questions…

Apparently, the Sibel Edmunds story is known to some news publications, because FBI agents have given them documents, etc., and the publications are sitting on the story, the way they did with the NSA domestic spying story. Also, she has offered to tell all to an American TV news company, if they will allow her to without no edits, risking state secrets charges. Read what Daniel Ellsberg has to say about all this. It’s the bomb:

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5260

And, FWIW, having Lott in on this makes me suspicious. I’ll be expecting him to insert some ‘little noticed clause’ which only makes things worse.

The Illinois Republican has informed the House GOP leadership of his early departure, according to Republican sources. No date has been chosen for a formal announcement, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, sources told FOX News, but the resignation is expected to become effective in December or January.

Hastert’s leaving in the middle of the 110th Congress means his Illinois district will have to hold a special election, one more likely to favor a GOP candidate since the party is expected to be more adept at turning out voters in a low-turnout special election.

The 11-term congressman announced on Aug. 17 that he will be stepping down, but did not say whether it would be at the end of the session or before then. He is one of 12 Republican lawmakers to announce their retirements this year.

Hastert has taken a back seat in his party since stepping down from its leadership earlier this year. Having become House speaker in 1999 following the resignation of Newt Gingrich, he went on to be the longest-serving Republican speaker of the House. Hastert was succeeded this year by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after Republicans lost control of the House in last November’s elections.

fox

solai @ 46

And, FWIW, having Lott in on this makes me suspicious. I’ll be expecting him to insert some ‘little noticed clause’ which only makes things worse.

Media consolidation is seen as a threat by many Christian and conservative groups also. They know that the media corporations are interested only in their profits not their message. So it affects them too.

Re: Murdoch:

He’s putting his mega-media hegemony together, first in NYC, then in the US. He’s already said he’s out to get the Gray Lady, for starters.

Bustednuckles @ 26

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-SD) and Trent [Lott] (R-MS) have introduced legislation which would require the FCC to remedy the relative lack of minority media ownership before implementing any rule changes.

Knock me over with a feather.
Trent Lott?

Hi Gang. Been bizzy contacting those who “represent” usuns here-bouts.

Passing thot: Lott has so many tissue-paper-thin morphs, he’s like one of those doll sets cut out of folded paper. He can always “spare a square.” Just flush, or watch it dissolve in a sec. or 2.

Townsend must be in some kind of trouble. She’s officially leaving “to spend more time with her family” per the teevee…

dakine01 @ 24

boxturtle @ 15

Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have asked. Look, I AGREE with the idea that more diverse broadcasting is desireable but I just don’t see how LOCAL ownership makes a difference. You could turn any of our local stations over to a minority and I doubt you see ANY difference at all. But just ONE VP in charge of programming at any of the major networks would make a heck of a difference.

Boxturtle (I think we’ve got a limited supply of ammo and we could pick a better target)

Have you ever lived somewhere that Sinclair Broadcasting is one of the owners? Sinclair centralizes just about everything. Their “local news” shows are broadcast from their headquarters (in Baltimore IIRC). They push their own agenda while giving the appearance of “objective local broadcasting.” They have their managing editor giving editorials without any rebuttal.

Yeah, local ownership is especially important and having a minority as an owner may not seem to be a big deal but it can in fact help to get different perspectives out there, even if only in limited ways such as getting on extra minority hosted show or on the news desk. Small steps are necessary to take those thousand mile journeys.

edit: Nor does it preclude getting some competent folks at the national level as well.

I lived near a Sinclair Station and it was BADDD! It has improved since CBS, and even larger owner, took it over. But the major factors that drive programming is still the $$$, I would contend. Local owners will automate, reduce local staff if they can affiliate with a network (or unless those “broadcasters” are also ad salesmen/pitchmen), or they need them to host a popular program (local sports, etc.).

The ONLY WAY that one can actually get true diversity in viewpoints, culture, and local programs is by mandate, with the threat of license loss. This is one area where affirmative action really hasn’t worked, except that it has made conservative minorities immensely wealthy.

It would have been better if cities, or educational institutions had been the ones given management control. Or if stations were required to offer up airspace/studio time to diverse groups to broadcast their own arts, music, political, or educational programs.

Biodun @ 49

Re: Murdoch:

He’s putting his mega-media hegemony together, first in NYC, then in the US. He’s already said he’s out to get the Gray Lady, for starters.

The way the Gray Lady is going Murdoch can just wait a few years for them to self-destruct in a burst of neocon glory and bad marketing decisions.

jane at 36 — Absolutely. Rushing this through as a pre-election year Christmas present has absolutely nothing to do with this, I’m sure. Ahem.

Do the families of these washed up goopers get a say on whether or not their beloved gooper is going to spend more time with em?

Many might say “over my dead body”.

rwcole @ 55

Do the families of these washed up goopers get a say on whether or not their beloved gooper is going to spend more time with em?

Many might say “over my dead body”.

Hint: have the washed-up goopers in question ever given us a choice about anything?

Kevin Martin also worked for Wiley, Rein & Fielding. I recognized this name from my past life in radio engineering.

Wiley, Rein & Fielding is Clear Channel’s Washington law firm.

Conflict of interest, anyone?

Biodun @ 49

Re: Murdoch:

He’s putting his mega-media hegemony together, first in NYC, then in the US. He’s already said he’s out to get the Gray Lady, for starters.

Well, I think Murdoch is out to “get” the NY Times in the sense of taking readers and ad dollars away, not to purchase it.

The FCC is also trying to breakup the cable hegemony of Comcast and TimeWarner, who are trying to freeze out the telecoms. The cable hegemony has been offering digital telephony for some time now.

Austin Engineer — Well, isn’t THAT interesting?

cinnamonape @ 40 says:

True, in theory. But the reality is that the big money is able to usually find a conservative Republican minority to take the reins. Skin Color =Political Orientation. At least not any more than Local Ownership relates to local content. You might get that if it was run by a city government…but not if it’s controlled by a local multi-millionaire.

Well, then let’s force them to find those conservative Republican local minorities and I betcha they ain’t that easy to find after all.

dakine01 @ 58:

That’s what I mant. The Sulzbergers will never sell the Gray Lady to Murdoch. Not in a million years.

Try this again, New Christy upstairs Restoring Our Values

Christy Hardin Smith @ 54

jane at 36 — Absolutely. Rushing this through as a pre-election year Christmas present has absolutely nothing to do with this, I’m sure. Ahem.

Harumph!

It this here Burdoch
any relation to the
one allegedly so
closely-stuck to
Miz Cliton?

Or is this one
all Bushly
Chum?

Hugh @ 48

solai @ 46

And, FWIW, having Lott in on this makes me suspicious. I’ll be expecting him to insert some ‘little noticed clause’ which only makes things worse.

Media consolidation is seen as a threat by many Christian and conservative groups also. They know that the media corporations are interested only in their profits not their message. So it affects them too.

Some are in favor of it. Groups like American Family Radio and The Bible Broadcasting Network want to expand beyond their current limits. Even those these are ostensibly non-commercial broadcasters, many have been making money hand-over-fist by selling broadcast slots to canned evangelical broadcasters, or continuous fundraising for affiliated aspects of the station. The management and directorships of these stations often are questionable…with profits being passed to the owner, relatives, and friends.

Really all they do is parasitize other small non-commercial station frequencies down below the 92.0 MHz area of the radio dial. They constantly ask for more power and that wipes off the chance for small microbroadcast or other independent stations to fill voids in the spectrum. These stations truly serve small communities, playing hip-hop, offering independent and local voices, and alternative news and performance broadcasting.

David W. Bartoo @ 64

Christy Hardin Smith @ 54

jane at 36 — Absolutely. Rushing this through as a pre-election year Christmas present has absolutely nothing to do with this, I’m sure. Ahem.

Harumph!

It this here Burdoch
any relation to the
one allegedly so
closely-stuck to
Miz Cliton?

Or is this one
all Bushly
Chum?

Well, given history, my money’s on them trying to help Senator Clinton be the D nominee in hopes that Roody Ghouliani might have an easier race.

Of course, that means they don’t have much of a memory of Y2K.

David W. Bartoo @ 64

Christy Hardin Smith @ 54

jane at 36 — Absolutely. Rushing this through as a pre-election year Christmas present has absolutely nothing to do with this, I’m sure. Ahem.

Harumph!

It this here Burdoch
any relation to the
one allegedly so
closely-stuck to
Miz Clinton?

Or is this one
all Bushly
Chum?

The FCC is hopeless. The real future is in unregulated internet broadcasting technologies. Time is better spent developing an international internet news network utlilizing digital packaging and multilingual broadcasting technologies which EXIST today.

I spent substantial time(with substantial public interest tax exempt funding) in public interest work years ago challenging the licenses of VHF channels before the FCC. Forget it. You need to endrun the Sumner Redstones, Katie Couric, Brian Williams nonsense and do the revolutionary and reforming action of getting into unregulated Internet news broadcasting. There is no reason that “Drudge” should be a source of “news”. FDL has started in the right direction but “bloging” and spouting is not the right course. Move On, etc could better spend their money on a internet news network.

Christy’s upstairs…

Thanks for spreading the word on this Christy! Please take action folks.

Josh
The Seminal

left dc in 72 @ 68

The FCC is hopeless. The real future is in unregulated internet broadcasting technologies. Time is better spent developing an international internet news network utlilizing digital packaging and multilingual broadcasting technologies which EXIST today.

I spent substantial time(with substantial public interest tax exempt funding) in public interest work years ago challenging the licenses of VHF channels before the FCC. Forget it. You need to endrun the Sumner Redstones, Katie Couric, Brian Williams nonsense and do the revolutionary and reforming action of getting into unregulated Internet news broadcasting. There is no reason that “Drudge” should be a source of “news”. FDL has started in the right direction but “bloging” and spouting is not the right course. Move On, etc could better spend their money on a internet news network.

what does it mean “your comment is awaiting moderation”

left dc — It means that you tripped up the spam filters for some reason, and that our mods have already freed up your comment if you hard refresh your page.

Don’t know quite what happened there, tried to do edit on missing ‘n’ and ether popped it out twice.

David W. Bartoo @ 73

Don’t know quite what happened there, tried to do edit on missing ‘n’ and ether popped it out twice.

Try a hard-refresh or, failing that, a browser relaunch.
Unfortunately, the edit time for your previous comment has passed.

Steve-AR @ 34

OT..FYI

As Ken Vogel outlined over the weekend, the Edwards campaign’s plan to obtain public matching funds for the presidential primaries has hit a potential snag because of the campaign’s widespread use of ActBlue for its online fundraising.

kos

Hopefully the FEC will resolve this issue quickly; not likely.

I agree with the commentary on Kos that this is pretty clearly a specified and earmarked contribution. I don’t see any difference in this than the credit card company itself releasing the funds. ActBlue is merely a conduit for earmarking contributions. As long as all the necessary disclosure information (employment) is taken it seems okay…would it be a big issue without the affidavit signature with a credit card???

small caveat-Mr. Dorgan is from ND not from SD. But if I can trade I’ll gladly take Dorgan and ND can have Thune! SD needs all the democratic help we can get. About the only thing SD’ans read is the Rethuglican play book. Oh well, just thought you’d like to know about the typo. :)

dakine01 @ 61

cinnamonape @ 40 says:

True, in theory. But the reality is that the big money is able to usually find a conservative Republican minority to take the reins. Skin Color =Political Orientation. At least not any more than Local Ownership relates to local content. You might get that if it was run by a city government…but not if it’s controlled by a local multi-millionaire.

Well, then let’s force them to find those conservative Republican local minorities and I betcha they ain’t that easy to find after all.

Local ownership went out decades ago. Minority and female ownership rules are still in…but with consolidation they are going to be people like A. Jerrold Perenchio who owns Univision, the largest Spanish Language Broadcaster in the country.

The rules have been allowing increasing consolidation ever since the 1970’s, some of it came in 1974, and again in 1984 when the station number was increased to 14. And again about 10 years later (when the allowed more affiliates and also newspaper/TV stations in the same community. The grab seems to run in 10 year cycles, and also relates to technological changes in the spectrum value.

Mass media should be supplanted by very local community broadcast media to complement the growth of the socio-political blog world on the Tubes™ (White Punks on Dope!). Low-powered fm is something advocated by an organization called Prometheus Radio Project. Here’s a news item of note from last month:

Release: Senate Committee Votes to Expand Low Power FM Radio!

October 30th, 2007

Contact: Hannah Sassaman, 215.727.9620 x 501, 267.970.4007,

hannahjs(at)prometheusradio.org

The United States Senate Commerce Committee voted this afternoon to substantially expand the number of community media outlets in the United States. In a consensus vote, the Committee moved to report Senate Bill 1675, the Local Community Radio Act of 2007, to the full Senate — and opened the door for thousands of new community radio stations to be built in America’s largest cities, and smaller communities across the nation.

Read more…

im4mary @ 76

small caveat-Mr. Dorgan is from ND not from SD. But if I can trade I’ll gladly take Dorgan and ND can have Thune! SD needs all the democratic help we can get. About the only thing SD’ans read is the Rethuglican play book. Oh well, just thought you’d like to know about the typo. :)

I think we will keep Dorgan. He is usually the GOOD guy.

Kevin Martin …. married to Cathie Martin, Cheney’s chief of staff. One begins to wonder, just how deep….

Miro @ 80

Kevin Martin …. married to Cathie Martin, Cheney’s chief of staff. One begins to wonder, just how deep….

Holy $%^&*(
I never put it together!

ReneND-can’t blame a girl for tryin!

sporkovat @ 10

where could this mysterious consolidation have come from?

oh yeah:

The telecommunications deregulation of 1996 under the Clinton administration has led to a concentration of media in the hands of a few corporate marketeers such as Clear Channel. Before 1996, a media corporation could only own two radio stations in any one market, and no more than 28 stations nationwide.

but nothing matters when the Axiom of the Least Worst still holds - a nominee by the name of Clinton will still be supported by most who claim to oppose such retrograde policies.

So, did Murdoch give Hillary a lavish fundraiser as a thnak you to Bill for the 96 bill or as insurance to make sure the Fairness Doctrine isn’t reinstated?

Austin Engineer @ 57

Kevin Martin also worked for Wiley, Rein & Fielding. I recognized this name from my past life in radio engineering.

Wiley, Rein & Fielding is Clear Channel’s Washington law firm.

Conflict of interest, anyone?

Time to launch a campaign to oust his ass?

This issue is so important. The MSM we have now is so horrible that Americans don’t realize that it could get worse, far worse. Right now we can still sometimes shame them into doing the right thing, but with more consolidation we won’t even be able to do that.

I watched this weekend as CNN had John Edwards on for an interview. What happened next dropped my jaw. I knew that CNN did not like Edwards (why would they…he is a trial lawyer and they are a corporation..it’s not like they are best friends if you know what I mean). But what they did in their round table discussion should piss off every Democrat. After the Edwards interview they held a scripted “roundtable” discussion that attacked Edwards from every angle. This scripted “hit” on Edwards should worry every Democrat because everytime they get away with this shit it makes it that much easier for them to do it to another Dem. candidate.

Now I know I will never talk the other candidates supporters into helping Edwards (it ain’t gonna happen) but just remember it will happen to your candidate too. And if we allow more media consolidation it will happen to Democrats in every election.

I wrote each Commissioner today and also sent Commissioners Copp’s and Adelstein’s position paper (on FCC website) to several friends. We need to get lots of comments in before the holidays are upon us.