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 1 Jun 2003 @ 20:36, by Raymond PowersWELL CONNECTED: FCC AND INDUSTRY MAINTAIN COZY RELATIONSHIP ON MANY LEVELS The Center for Public Integrity May 22, 2003 WASHINGTON, DC, May 22, 2003 The three largest local phone companies control 83 percent of home telephone lines. The top two long distance carriers control 67 percent of that market. The four biggest cellular phone companies have 64 percent of the wireless market. The five largest cable companies pipe programming to 74 percent of the cable subscribers nationwide. Those findings come from the Center for Public Integrity's unprecedented examination of the telecommunications industry, the centerpiece of which is a first-of-its-kind, 65,000 record, searchable database containing ownership information on virtually every radio station, television station, cable television system and telephone company in America. The database reveals that broadcasting and cable behemoths such as Viacom, Clear Channel and Comcast already dominate many of the nation's media markets, even as the Federal Communications Commission moves to further relax media ownership rules at a meeting scheduled for June 2. To illustrate this trend, the Center analyzed current media ownership in the hometowns of the five FCC commissioners -- though any American can get similar information from the database about his or her hometown with a few simple key strokes. The report also explores the close relationship between the FCC and the interests it regulates. FCC officials have taken more than 2,500 trips paid for by companies and trade groups from the telecommunications and broadcasting industries, and the agency increasingly relies on industry-generated data to justify sweeping deregulation proposals. This report, entitled "Well-Connected," is the first phase of a three-year investigation of the telecommunications industry. The full report and database can be found on the Center's web site. Media Concentration The ownership study uses the hometowns of the five commissioners as examples of how local ownership of the media in the nation has dwindled since 1996 when the FCC most recently loosened its regulations on media ownership. The ownership study in the five cities reveals: - Of the 203 commercial radio stations in the five home towns, 48 are owned by four publicly traded, out-of-state radio conglomerates. Twenty-seven of those are owned by radio giant Clear Channel Communications. - The cable systems in the five communities are controlled by four companies. AOL Time Warner owns systems in Charlotte, N.C., and Milwaukee; Birmingham's system is owned by Advance/Newhouse, which is also programmed by AOL Time Warner; Louisville's system is owned by Insight Communications Co., the nation's ninth-largest cable company. Only the Rapid City system is locally owned. - Of the 20 network affiliates in the five cities, 15 are owned by out-of-state companies, including two each by News Corp. (Fox Entertainment Group) and Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. (a division of Hearst Corp.). Frequent FCC fliers The Center examined travel records of FCC employees and entered that information into a searchable database, also accessible through the web site. The report shows that FCC officials have taken 2,500 trips costing nearly $2.8 million over the past eight years, most of it from the telecommunications and broadcast industries the agency regulates. That was in addition to about $2 million a year in official travel funded by taxpayers. Among the other findings: - FCC commissioners and agency staffers attended hundreds of conventions, conferences and other events in locations all over the world, including Paris, Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro staying in such high-priced hotels as the Bellagio in Las Vegas. - The top destination was Las Vegas, with 330 trips. Second was New Orleans with 173 trips and third was New York with 102 trips. Fourth on the list was London, which FCC officials visited 98 times. Other popular destinations included Orlando, San Francisco, Miami, Anchorage, Palm Springs, Buenos Aires and Beijing. - The biggest industry sponsor of the trips was the National Association of Broadcasters, which paid $191,472 to bring 206 FCC officials to its events. NAB, which represents radio and television stations nationwide, has lobbied aggressively in recent months to keep the current FCC rules limiting media ownership in place. Reliance on industry data A third report came out of the Center's data gathering efforts, which revealed a disturbing dependence by the FCC on outside information providers. The report finds that the FCC's reliance on non-government private data is so ingrained that when public interest groups asked for access to data underlying a series of media ownership reports last fall, the FCC relented only after issuing a quasi-judicial "protective order" meant to keep the information secret. When the Center was constructing its database of media companies, researchers and reporters were repeatedly referred by FCC staff to private companies for basic information on ownership, audience reach and cable subscribers. Getting market share information, which is key when reviewing whether broadcasters are within existing FCC limits, was all but impossible without going outside the agency. The study was funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation, with additional support from the Open Society Institute. ------------ WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? SHOWDOWN AT THE FCC (5/5/2003): [link] Media Challenge! Action 1 (essential): + Go to www.mediareform.net Media Challenge! Action 2 Contact these members of the Senate Commerce Committee (essential, especially McCain): + Senator John McCain, Phone: (202) 224-2235; Fax: (202) 228-2862; Contact these FCC Commissioners: + Chairman Michael Powell, 202-418-1000, Sample Letter or Comment to Congress folks and FCC: Dear ___________(Senator or Commissioner): Re: Upcoming FCC vote on media deregulation. Further consolidation of the media in the name of "deregulation" must be halted. The media companies have failed in their public trust to provide unbiased information about most crucial issues, most notably the recent coverage of the war in Iraq. As an American concerned about our democracy, I call on you to challenge the media conglomerates, to open the broadcast spectrum to a diverse range of journalists and opinions, and to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. Oppose media deregulation. Media Challenge! Action 3 (helpful). + Call or write network news bosses (see contacts below). + Tell them you want prominent daily coverage of the upcoming FCC vote, the most important media question in a decade. + Challenge them to report on their network's efforts to influence Congress and the FCC via campaign donations. ABC NEWS CHIEF David Westin. 212.456.6200. fax: 212.456.4292, ABC NEWS DIRECTOR Mimi Gurbst. 212 456 4050 fax.212 456 2795 ABC SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 212.456-7777. NEWSROOM fax 212.456.2795 MSNBC NEWS CHIEF Mark Effron. 201.583.5101. fax: 201.583.5199, mark.effron@msnbc.com MSNBC NEWS DIRECTOR Alison Hawley. 201 583 5155, fax. 201 583 5512 MSNBC SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 201.583.5000, fax: 201.583.5590 NBC NEWS CHIEF Neil Shapiro. 212.664.4773. fax: 212.664.2264, neal.shapiro@nbc.com NBC NEWS DIRECTOR Thomas Ferraro 201 583 5231 fax 201 583 5222 NBC SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 212.664.4444. fax: 201.583.5453 CBS NEWS CHIEF Andrew Hayward. 212.975.7825. fax: 212.975.7429. mg3@cbsnews.com NEWS DIRECTOR Marty Gill 212 975 6121 fax. 212 975 4114 CBS SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 212.975.4321 fax: 212.975.1893 CNN NEWS CHIEF Eason Jordan. 404.827.5111. fax: 404.827.4215. eason.jordan@cnn.com CNN NEWS DIRECTOR Kim Bondy. 404 827 1500. fax. 404 827 1099 CNN NEWSROOM 404.827.1500 . 404.827.1500. cnnfutures@cnn.com, PBS FACTUAL PROGRAMMING CHIEF Sandy Heberer 703.739.5036 PBS NEWS CHIEF, SANDY SOWERS 703-998-2150 newshour@pbs.org PBS SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 703.998.2600. FOX NEWS CHIEF: John Moody. 212.301.8560. fax: 212.398.8726 john.moody@foxnews.com NEWS DIRECTOR Kathleen Ardleigh 212 3013186 fax. 212-301-5067 FOX SWITCHBOARD (ASK FOR NEWSROOM) 212.575.4670. fax: 212.301.8274 MEDIA CHALLENGE! is co-sponsored by: Projects4Peace, ICUJP (Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace), Neighbors for Peace and Justice, Coalition for World Peace, Global Guardianship Initiative, Code, Pink for Peace, Peace on the Beach, Peace Warriors, LA International A.N.S.W.E.R., Not in Our Name, Global Women1s Strike and Southern Cal. Americans for Democratic Action, Americans Against War With Iraq For more information about Media Challenge! and what the news networks are not telling you go HERE and click on Media. Feeling empowered? Wanna do more on this issue? GO HERE |