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Oregon Communities Harmed by Media ConsolidationOREGON COMMUNITIES HARMED BY MEDIA CONSOLIDATION MADE POSSIBLE BY NEW FCC MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES Read full report. PORTLAND -- Oregonians will be harmed if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) loosens key limits on media ownership, according to new research by economic experts on behalf of Oregon members and allies of the Media and Democracy Coalition. In Portland, Eugene and Medford, the study finds that almost any merger among large media outlets will violate US Dept. of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Merger Guidelines on excessive market concentration and power. “These mergers would be allowed with ‘no questions asked’ under the FCC’s proposed new rules,” said Laura Etherton, Consumer Advocate with Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG). “This report’s findings are especially important since the FCC ordered ‘destroyed’ its own research suggesting that increased consolidation of media ownership would harm local news.” Taken together, the FCC and MDC research studies clearly demonstrate that additional mergers in these Oregon markets could significantly harm citizens in those communities, according to the study’s author, Dr. Mark Cooper, research director of Consumer Federation of America, a leading expert on the structure and economics of our nation’s media. The Cooper study documents effects of the FCC’s proposal to loosen media ownership limits in Oregon.
The Cooper study asserts that all of these resulting combinations will violate US Dept. of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Merger Guidelines on excessive market concentration and power, even though they would be allowed under media ownership rules proposed by the FCC. “Giving citizens a variety of viewpoints and plenty of local views are two of our nation’s most important media policy goals,” said Etherton, “If the FCC allows these mergers, it will be harder for citizens to even learn about, let alone respond to local issues such as crime, schools and traffic.” “Democracy needs a vibrant media with local news covering diverse viewpoints,” said Janice Thompson, executive director of Money in Politics Research Action Project. “Right now local TV news should provide better coverage for Oregonians on politics and government, and a bad situation will just get worse if FCC rules allowing even more consolidation of media ownership are approved.” The Oregon study is one of 15 state studies conducted by the Media and Democracy Coalition as part of its nationwide campaign to alert Americans to the dangers the FCC’s proposed rule changes pose to their local communities. Coalition member organizations are urging Americans to tell their representatives and the Commissioners of the FCC that more media consolidation and concentration is bad for local communities and bad for America’s democracy. In 2003, the FCC voted to loosen these same media ownership rules. But the Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision. With the FCC again considering whether to relax or eliminate its ownership rules, the Cooper study answers the Appeals Court’s call for better analysis of media concentration in local communities. “We need to learn from previous rule changes that allowed for radio station mergers that reduced air time for local musicians and gave the public a play list approved by far away corporate managers,” said Bruce Fife of American Federation of Musicians Local 99 in Portland. “This study clearly demonstrates that relaxation of TV and newspaper cross ownership limits by the FCC is not in the public interest.” “The FCC received over three million public comments in 2003opposing its attempt to increase media concentration,” said Jeanne Carpenter of Communications Workers of America Local 7901. “In Oregon, this message was heard loud and clear at a Future of Media Town Hall attended by almost 500 people in 2004. It is shocking that the FCC is considering media consolidation rules that have already been rejected by so many Oregonians.” “The good news is we can stop this now. We’re urging all citizens to file comments by Oct. 23 and again by Dec. 21, with the FCC to say ‘no’ to loosening media ownership limits,” said Andrea Cano with the United Church of Christ’s Justice and Peace Action Network. “We need more, not fewer, press and electronic media outlets for news and information that is relevant to us, and more citizen participation in the rule and policy making on the federal and state levels. It’s great to know that Oregonians can have a say in Washington D.C.” (http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/comments.html). # # # Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) is a statewide non profit, non partisan public interest group. OSPIRG’s mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects our environment, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government. Media in Politics Research Action Project (MiPRAP) is a nonpartisan nonprofit group dedicated to increasing transparency and accountability in politics and governmental decision-making. www.oregonfollowthemoney.org Communications Workers of America, Local 7901 along with CWA media workers in the Broadcast, Newspaper, Printing and Publishing sector of our union, work to advance the cause of democracy in media in the United States. American Federation of Musicians Local 99 represents professional musicians in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. The American Federation of Musicians is dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. The AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape. The United Church of Christ has an active Justice and Peace program as well as a long history of work on media reform. The Media Empowerment Project is run by the Office of Communications of the United Church of Christ, Inc. (OC, Inc.) The above organizations are part of the Oregon Alliance to Reform Media. Organized in the wake of the June 2004 Future of Media Town Hall with two FCC Commissioners, the Oregon Alliance to Reform Media (OR ARM) aims to create a responsive and responsible media and communications environment that serves the public interest of the people of Oregon, via education, outreach, advocacy, and media monitoring initiatives. www.oregonarm.org The Media and Democracy Coalition, an unincorporated affiliation of national, state and local consumer, public interest, organized labor and media reform organizations representing tens of millions of Americans. It is committed to promoting vigorous competition, diversity of viewpoints, and localism in our national and local media. MDC accepts no corporate funding. Rather, its funding comes from foundations concerned about issues at the nexus of media and democracy. More information about the Coalition, its members, as well as its research reports, is available at the Coalition’s website, www.media-democracy.net. CONTACT: Laura Etherton, OSPIRG, 503-807-6409 Janice Thompson, Money in Politics Research Action Project (MiPRAP), 503-283-1922, Jeanne Carpenter, Communication Workers of America Local 7901, 503-238-6666 Bruce Fife, American Federation of Musicians Local 99, 503-235-8791 Andrea Cano, Justice and Peace Action Network of the United Church of Christ and board member of the UCC’s OC Inc., 503-804-2785 |