Press Release
On Eve of Vote, FCC Faces Growing Public Outcry
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- Despite a groundswell of public opposition and the disapproval of bipartisan members of Congress, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin plans to vote tomorrow on rules that will let the largest companies swallow up more local media across the country.
"FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is ignoring the public and defying the wishes of Congress," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, the group that coordinates StopBigMedia.com. "Like Michael Powell before him, Martin is opposed by 99 percent of Americans -- judging by comments filed at the FCC -- who think Big Media is already big enough."
The public distaste for Martin's plans has been most visible at the FCC's eight official public hearings on media ownership and localism. Thousands of people showed up in Los Angeles, Nashville, Harrisburg, Pa., Tampa, Fla., Portland, Maine, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Seattle -- sometimes with only a week's notice -- to testify against further media consolidation.
Those denied the opportunity to voice their opposition directly to all five FCC commissioners in person have taken their protest online. More than 100,000 individuals have contacted Congress and the FCC via the StopBigMedia.com Web site. Thousands more have posted their pictures on a virtual wall of protest on the site.
Activists have gotten creative, building a Potterwatch Web site and recording a "Wizard Rock" album to rally fans of the Harry Potter series against media consolidation. Chicago Media Action sang "carols" outside Tribune Co. headquarters. And a YouTube video opposing Martin's early "Christmas gift" to Big Media has been watched nearly 60,000 times.
"Media consolidation is not just an inside-the-Beltway issue," said Alexandra Russell, program director of Free Press. "We are mobilizing Americans in hundreds of local communities that would be impacted by these disastrous rule changes."
Yet leaders in Congress from both parties have already expressed their disapproval of Martin's year-end rush to gut media ownership limits, conveying their deep frustration not only with the proposal itself, but with the way the Martin has presided over the agency charged with protecting the public interest.
On Friday, 26 senators sent a letter to Martin warning "that if you proceed to take final action on this rule on December 18th without having given a reasonable opportunity for comment on the actual rules and study the related issues, we will immediately move legislation that will revoke and nullify the proposed rule."
In addition, more than 20 civil rights groups -- along with numerous members of Congress -- have called upon the FCC to first address the media diversity crisis before considering any new rules. In a follow-up letter sent to Martin today, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, LULAC, Rainbow PUSH, the Black Leadership Forum and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists criticized Martin for pursuing a plan that would "place minority ownership in greater jeopardy."
"If Chairman Martin refuses to listen to the public's concerns, Congress must step in and throw out the flawed and destructive new rules," Silver said. "Whatever happens at the FCC on Tuesday, the fight is far from over."
"FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is ignoring the public and defying the wishes of Congress," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, the group that coordinates StopBigMedia.com. "Like Michael Powell before him, Martin is opposed by 99 percent of Americans -- judging by comments filed at the FCC -- who think Big Media is already big enough."
The public distaste for Martin's plans has been most visible at the FCC's eight official public hearings on media ownership and localism. Thousands of people showed up in Los Angeles, Nashville, Harrisburg, Pa., Tampa, Fla., Portland, Maine, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Seattle -- sometimes with only a week's notice -- to testify against further media consolidation.
Those denied the opportunity to voice their opposition directly to all five FCC commissioners in person have taken their protest online. More than 100,000 individuals have contacted Congress and the FCC via the StopBigMedia.com Web site. Thousands more have posted their pictures on a virtual wall of protest on the site.
Activists have gotten creative, building a Potterwatch Web site and recording a "Wizard Rock" album to rally fans of the Harry Potter series against media consolidation. Chicago Media Action sang "carols" outside Tribune Co. headquarters. And a YouTube video opposing Martin's early "Christmas gift" to Big Media has been watched nearly 60,000 times.
"Media consolidation is not just an inside-the-Beltway issue," said Alexandra Russell, program director of Free Press. "We are mobilizing Americans in hundreds of local communities that would be impacted by these disastrous rule changes."
Yet leaders in Congress from both parties have already expressed their disapproval of Martin's year-end rush to gut media ownership limits, conveying their deep frustration not only with the proposal itself, but with the way the Martin has presided over the agency charged with protecting the public interest.
On Friday, 26 senators sent a letter to Martin warning "that if you proceed to take final action on this rule on December 18th without having given a reasonable opportunity for comment on the actual rules and study the related issues, we will immediately move legislation that will revoke and nullify the proposed rule."
In addition, more than 20 civil rights groups -- along with numerous members of Congress -- have called upon the FCC to first address the media diversity crisis before considering any new rules. In a follow-up letter sent to Martin today, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, LULAC, Rainbow PUSH, the Black Leadership Forum and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists criticized Martin for pursuing a plan that would "place minority ownership in greater jeopardy."
"If Chairman Martin refuses to listen to the public's concerns, Congress must step in and throw out the flawed and destructive new rules," Silver said. "Whatever happens at the FCC on Tuesday, the fight is far from over."
