Press Release
FCC to host public hearing in Monterey on July 21
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Washington, DC – National and local advocates today called on California citizens to make their voices heard on behalf of diversity and local control in broadcasting at a public hearing scheduled by the Federal Communications Commission in Monterey. The FCC announced today that the hearing will be held on July 21 at the Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza.
The Monterey hearing will be the fourth in a series of six FCC hearings on broadcast localism to solicit public input about local broadcasting, as a slate of government-granted broadcast licenses come up for renewal. Previous hearings were held in Charlotte, NC; San Antonio, TX; and Rapid City, SD.
"At previous hearings, hundreds of community members packed the halls to make sure the FCC Commissioners heard their perspectives on local media and FCC policies. We hope California residents will do the same," said Free Press managing director Josh Silver.
The FCC’s July 26 hearing will allow time for members of the public to testify on how well local broadcasters are fulfilling their public interest obligations and how the FCC can encourage better service to their communities. "Citizens are tired of dumbed-down journalism, rampant commercialism, and seeing their local media bought up by big media companies,” Silver continued. “This is a crucial opportunity to make their voices heard."
The localism hearings were initiated in response to widespread public outcry over the FCC’s 3-2 vote last June on a change to media ownership rules that will weaken protections that prevent the largest media firms from growing larger. Over two million emails, letters and petitions protesting that decision were sent to the FCC and Capitol Hill from conservative and liberal groups alike.
Free Press is a national non-partisan organization that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system. It was founded by University of Illinois professor, media scholar and author Robert McChesney. For additional background information about the FCC's hearings and broadcast licenses, see www.freepress.net/townmeetings.
The Monterey hearing will be the fourth in a series of six FCC hearings on broadcast localism to solicit public input about local broadcasting, as a slate of government-granted broadcast licenses come up for renewal. Previous hearings were held in Charlotte, NC; San Antonio, TX; and Rapid City, SD.
"At previous hearings, hundreds of community members packed the halls to make sure the FCC Commissioners heard their perspectives on local media and FCC policies. We hope California residents will do the same," said Free Press managing director Josh Silver.
The FCC’s July 26 hearing will allow time for members of the public to testify on how well local broadcasters are fulfilling their public interest obligations and how the FCC can encourage better service to their communities. "Citizens are tired of dumbed-down journalism, rampant commercialism, and seeing their local media bought up by big media companies,” Silver continued. “This is a crucial opportunity to make their voices heard."
The localism hearings were initiated in response to widespread public outcry over the FCC’s 3-2 vote last June on a change to media ownership rules that will weaken protections that prevent the largest media firms from growing larger. Over two million emails, letters and petitions protesting that decision were sent to the FCC and Capitol Hill from conservative and liberal groups alike.
Free Press is a national non-partisan organization that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system. It was founded by University of Illinois professor, media scholar and author Robert McChesney. For additional background information about the FCC's hearings and broadcast licenses, see www.freepress.net/townmeetings.
