Henderson Slams FCC Decision on Media Ownership
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 5/28/2003
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to lift important restrictions on media cross ownership, a move that that has raised serious concern among civil rights and other groups."We believe the Chairman of the FCC, Michael Powell, has focused the current debate over media policy on market efficiencies and technological development to the exclusion of promoting competition, a diversity of voices, and community engagement," said Leadership Conference on Civil Rights executive director Wade Henderson.
"American democracy requires a competitive media environment," said Henderson. "A media market with diverse voices is critical to a civil rights agenda that ensures equity and democratic participation in areas vital to the health of our nation and our communities -- education, economic opportunity, the environment, health care and political participation."
LCCR joined FCC Commissioners Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, at a May 27, 2003 roundtable discussion of civil rights, religious, consumer, industry, conservative, and creative arts groups to hear why media consolidation protections are important to groups across the entire political spectrum and from all parts of the country. The commissioners also discussed the more than 100,000 comments received last week from the National Rifle Association and the more than 100,000 signatures collected by Move On, all of which expressed concern with removing media concentration protections.
