Category: media ownership & consolidation
-
Tracking the Biggest Godcaster
This month’s edition of Mother Jones magazine is focused on the religious right and its political machinations, and a lot of it is kinda frightening. There’s a good article on Salem Communications, the largest commercial chain of Christian stations in the country. Like its secular brethren, such as Clear Channel, Salem has actively lobbied for…
-
News Headlines from the Dec. 2 Radioshow: Indecency Day at the Senate Commerce Committe; Parents and Televangelists Not So Happy With Gov’t Indecency Regs; Giant Alternative Weekly Merger
These are the media news headlines as read on the Dec. 2 edition of the mediageek radioshow. Indecency Day at the Senate Commerce Committee These days, indecency is never gone too long, or, at least, Congress’ love affair with indecency. On Tuesday, Nov. 29 the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on broadcast indecency, and…
-
Tell the FCC To Hold Public Hearings on Media Ownership Rules
The Consumers Union is running a campaign to get the FCC to hold public hearings before it engages its next attempt to rewrite media ownership rules. As part of the campaign they’re featuring a fun song and music video about media consolidation called “The Tower.” I think they should send CDs of the song to…
-
When Do “Alternative” Weeklies Cease Being Alternative?
Perhaps the answer to that question is: When their parent companies get as big as the rest of the rest of the media giants. The SF Bay Guardian has uncovered merger plans for the two reigning giants in the alternative weekly field, the Village Voice and the New Times, creating “an 18-paper chain controlled to…
-
More on TeleSur
Kari Lydersen files a nice article for Infoshop.org on the premiere of TeleSur a new Latin American TV news channel: Spanish-language TV both in the US and in many Latin American countries is perhaps best known for its sensational, sex- and drama-soaked telenovelas (soap operas) and variety shows, soccer games and news segments heavy on…
-
FCC Approves Calvary Chapel LPFMs
This one totally flew under my radar: apparently two weeks ago the FCC ruled that fourteen Calvary Chapel churches could get low-power FM licenses. Last year the FCC held thirty applications from Calvary Chapel churches because they essentially submitted cookie cutter applications. The FCC Audio Bureau Chief Peter Doyle wrote that, there is nothing in…
-
Payola Investigation Could Be Leverage for Action on Consolidation, but It Will Take a Lot of Force
According to Broadcasting and Cable (sorry, no free story beyond the summary), Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold connected the dots between radio payola, as being investigated by the NY attorney general. Of course, he’s suggesting legislation, perhaps similar to the “Competition in Radio and Concert Industries Act,” he introduced in 2003. Similar to the media reform…
-
Media Reform Bill Introduced
According to Radio Currents Online, Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has introduced the Media Ownership Reform Act of 2005 (MORA). According to Hinchey’s press release the bill, “seeks to undo the massive consolidation of the media that has been ongoing for nearly 20 years.” So, it hits most major media reform points: reinstate a national cap…
-
Capturing Public Broadcasting by Threat and Shady Gamesmanship
Pre-P.S.: Just as I was finishing up this post, I learned that the House voted not to cut $100 million from the CPB. Is it coincidence that this happens within hours of the appointment of the new CPB CEO? I’m kind of immersed in the non-commercial radio world, at the intersection of public, community and…
-
Supremes Decline Review of Media Ownership Rules
This morning the Supreme Court decided not to hear the media conglomerates’ challenge to the Third Circuit Court’s decision to strike down the FCC’s loosened media ownership rules. The Court ruled without comment, but I can’t help think the fact that the FCC and Justice Dept. decided not to pursue the challenge was a contributing…