FCC Rules on Media Ownership in Jeopardy
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 5/22/2003
Over thirty recording artists have urged FCC Chairman Michael Powell to fully examine all possible evidence before making any decisions on proposed media ownership rule changes. The musicians, including superstars Don Henley, Billy Joel, and Ellis Marsalis, were joined by eight organizations, including the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, in co-sponsoring the letter.Powell has set a final date of June 2, 2003 for the commission's vote regarding whether or not to lift ownership caps on television, radio, and print media. The letter expresses strong concerns that the FCC has not gone through a thorough enough period of public comment and evaluation to make a decision that could affect all media in the future and lead to further consolidation.
Of the impending deadline, Jenny Toomey, Executive Director of the Future of Music Coalition, a co-sponsor of the letter, says, "It is abundantly clear that the only supporters of this fast-track deregulation are the very corporations who will benefit financially from further consolidation. If the FCC has any clear mandate it is to protect the public interest from these private interests."
