Comments on: Will the FCC go easy on media ownership? http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/11/4841/will-the-fcc-go-easy-on-media-ownership/ A daily newsmagazine of campus and culture for Northwestern University. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:08:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Testimony http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/11/4841/will-the-fcc-go-easy-on-media-ownership/comment-page-1/#comment-30028 Testimony Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:20:33 +0000 http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/11/4841/will-the-fcc-go-easy-on-media-ownership/#comment-30028 http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=1914&Witness_ID=6791 http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=1914&Witness_ID=6791

]]> By: David S.(pett) http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/11/4841/will-the-fcc-go-easy-on-media-ownership/comment-page-1/#comment-29910 David S.(pett) Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:10:21 +0000 http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/11/4841/will-the-fcc-go-easy-on-media-ownership/#comment-29910 I was taken aback by Prof. Duke's comments, which are indicative of where the administration's priorities lie. Anyone who believes in good journalism would balk at the FCC's plan, since relaxing ownership rules would unquestionably decrease the diversity of viewpoints to which media consumers are exposed, in turn harming the democratic process. For journalists, the proposed rule change would lead to massive layoffs. It's illogical to say this is the way to "give new life to an ailing industry"; the only way it can help is by allowing conglomerates to buy out (read: wipe out) their competition. Without diversity, media consumers lose. Prof. Duke appears to prefer corporations' anticompetitive tendencies to the strong journalism our democracy so desperately needs. This isn't some wacko left-wing issue I'm advocating. Democrats and most Republicans agree that relaxing ownership rules would be harmful. Non-profits of all varieties, even the National Rifle Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, feel the same way, according to the New York Times. The only ones who support the FCC plan are big media corporations like the Tribune Company and their lobbyists. And now, evidently, the Medill School of ... whatever it is we are. I was taken aback by Prof. Duke’s comments, which are indicative of where the administration’s priorities lie. Anyone who believes in good journalism would balk at the FCC’s plan, since relaxing ownership rules would unquestionably decrease the diversity of viewpoints to which media consumers are exposed, in turn harming the democratic process. For journalists, the proposed rule change would lead to massive layoffs.

It’s illogical to say this is the way to “give new life to an ailing industry”; the only way it can help is by allowing conglomerates to buy out (read: wipe out) their competition. Without diversity, media consumers lose. Prof. Duke appears to prefer corporations’ anticompetitive tendencies to the strong journalism our democracy so desperately needs.

This isn’t some wacko left-wing issue I’m advocating. Democrats and most Republicans agree that relaxing ownership rules would be harmful. Non-profits of all varieties, even the National Rifle Association and the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, feel the same way, according to the New York Times.

The only ones who support the FCC plan are big media corporations like the Tribune Company and their lobbyists. And now, evidently, the Medill School of … whatever it is we are.

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