district of columbia

It's already clear that is election isn't going to be like others so we need to think about how to cover it differently. I'm not talking about replacing what's out there, but at least adding to it.

An army of community bloggers can give snapshots of how their hometowns see the election. And enough of them together can present a fuller picture of the campaign. Check out Patchwork Nation and my blog on the site.

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Average: 5 (1 vote)

The Senate Commerce Committee did the right thing today by unanimously voting out of committee a "resolution of disapproval" sponsored by Sen. Bryon Dorgan (D.N.D.) that would overturn the FCC’s Dec. 18 decision to relax the longstanding limits on how much media one company can own in your town.

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Average: 5 (4 votes)

Yesterday, the New York Times exposed a secret Pentagon campaign to infiltrate the media with pro-war propaganda.

The scheme reaches all the way to the Bush White House, where top officials recruited dozens of "military analysts" to spread favorable views of the war via every major news channel -- without revealing they were working from Pentagon scripts and often lobbying for major military contractors.

Spreading "covert propaganda" is illegal under federal law. Congress must investigate these military pundits and their ties to the Bush administration, defense contractors and our national news media.

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Average: 5 (6 votes)

Activists in the media reform and media justice movement argue that “media is the issue” because the media influence which issues get aired and how they are represented in public discourse. Many of us work on issues alongside media reform, and we are constantly making the connection between specific issues -- like race and gender equity, social justice -- and media reform. However, it is rare when a mainstream media outlet makes the connection. Just such a connection was made in the lead editorial in the New York Times on New Year’s Day.

The editorial, titled “The One Environmental Issue," opens with the statement that “the overriding environmental issue of these times is the warming of the planet. The Democratic hopefuls in the 2008 campaign are fully engaged. … The Republicans do not go much farther than conceding that climate change could be a problem.

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Average: 4.4 (5 votes)

Last week, members of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin opposing his plan to drastically relax newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules without first studying such rule’s impact on female ownership in the broadcast industry. The letter, led by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y), was co-signed by sixteen female members of Congress.

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Average: 3.3 (7 votes)

As Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin continues to push a massive giveaway to Big Media, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is looking into how the FCC has handled this media ownership proceeding.

We'll be live-blogging today's oversight hearing, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. All five FCC commissioners are going to testify at the event and will be asked tough questions by the House subcommittee members.

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Your vote:

Average: 4.4 (7 votes)

(This article was originally written for gnovis Journal, Georgetown University)

 

The institution of the press is the central nervous system of democracy. ¹

For those of us focused on Iraq, Iran, immigration, the health insurance crisis, and equal rights for same sex couples, the issue of media consolidation probably doesn't inspire a passionate call to action.

November 13th, FCC chairman Kevin Martin wrote an op-ed in the New York Times, confirming his intention to further relax media ownership rules. You can find a link to a PDF file containing the text of his proposal at this blog. Read more »

Your vote:

Average: 3.9 (8 votes)

As we have traveled around the country we have heard from so many people about the way that media coverage of their communities is an immeadiate and unquestionable public health problem. The media is a powerful social force, and when people are pushed out of the media or misrepresented in the media, it haunts them on their streets, in their homes, and throughout their lives.

I remember vividly a conversation I had with a gentleman on the west side of Chicago prior to the FCC hearing there. He talked about how he and his group had been fighting for years to improve coverage of community issues, and representations of people of color on the west side in the media. He linked the problems of police violence directly to what people see on the news and how those images of his community permeate the way people view him.

I was reminded of this story today when I got this announcement from Rosa Clemente of the Hip Hop Caucus. The Hip Hop Caucus has been along time ally in the media ownership fight and I encourage anyone who is in DC to take part in this event.
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Average: 3 (2 votes)

It was an inspiring sight. Outside Federal Communications Commission headquarters more than a hundred and fifty people were chanting for better media. Inside, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin squirmed every time the room erupted around calls to stop consolidation. It was Halloween at the FCC – and the trick was definitely on them.

 

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Your vote:

Average: 4.8 (5 votes)

Hi Everyone,

Today I will be live blogging from the Rally for Better Media on the steps of the FCC! Keep checking back for updates!  Can't be in DC? Take Action Now!

Right now it is 4:30 am and there are five concerned citizens waiting in the cool morning darkness to tell the FCC how the media is serving their community. Spirits are high, and the tempetures are on the rise.

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Your vote:

Average: 4.4 (7 votes)