FCC Chair Proposes Deregulation of Mass Media
Last week FCC chief Kevin Martin announced a plan that if accepted would break a long standing rule governing the number of television, radio, and newspaper operations one particular corporation could own within a market. The original rules governing ownership has been in effect for over thirty years to keep company's from developing media monopoly's in various regions throughout the nation. Martins proposal if enacted could lead to restricted liberty's in journalism where a smaller sector has the majority control over what is said in the media. Large corporations will be able to purchase and operate television & radio stations including newspapers in all the nations top markets. Imagine if all your local media outlets where headed by a single person regardless of network affiliations the buck stops with a single head-honcho or chief operating officer. This person would control the flow of information to millions within a defined geographical area without any competition or an opposing voice.
It's a scary prospect, especially for anyone working in broadcasting. The consolidation of ownership undoubtedly could lead to less jobs and a decrease in competition between employers looking to hire talent; thus lower benefits and compensation across the board. Journalist and columnists will find their voices stifled if their viewpoints oppose those of the organization and without another media outlet their reporting will go unheard. There will never again be a second side to a story. Only the filtered information the corporations allows you to know...
Take for instance the recent story CNN and Hillary Clinton found themselves in over the planting of audience members and pre-screened questions during the last democratic debate aired on CNN. Maria Luisa, a college student at UNLV was a participate at the debate and was allowed to question the candidates she wrote on her MySpace page that the six audience members that posed questions to Hillary during the debates where "Democratic Party Operatives" and that CNN forced her to ask the frilly question "What do you prefer diamonds or pearls?" rather than her actual query about nuclear waste storage at the Yucca Mountain depository.
"Every single question asked during the debate by the audience had to be approved by CNN," Luisa writes. "I was asked to submit questions including "lighthearted/fun" questions. I submitted more than five questions on issues important to me. I did a policy memo on Yucca Mountain a year ago and was the finalist for the Truman Scholarship. For sure, I thought I would get to ask the Yucca question that was APPROVED by CNN days in advance."
It's shameful enough that during a open townhouse formatted preliminary presidential debate the audiences questions required any kind of screening but what makes it really bad is CNN was aware and deliberately sought to undermine its viewers by planting hashed questions to benefit a single candidate. In this case it appears CNN wanted to assist Clinton's odds of winning the debate. So pause for a moment and imagine this level of deceitfulness in a corporation that owns every major media platform in your city. Imagine what they might not want you to know and how they may resort to this level of trickery to persuade your opinion.
Scary isn't it?
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