illinois

Just a brief note to urge everyone to make the trip to Minneapolis. As a veteran newsman, I know Media Reform is necessary. As an indiviudal who attended the first two conferences (Madison '03, St. Louis '05), I can state that the conferences are excellent opportunities. Get Thee To Minneapolis

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Average: 4.3 (6 votes)

I wrote this last night as I "watched" the democratic debate streaming from MSNBC's website. Just a frustrating personal experience that adds to overall debate regarding the state of broadband.

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I'm currently typing this as I'm staring at the nbc peacock-turned-loading wheel symbol that tells me to "wait for a few minutes and if we're not back, just wait longer." Read more »

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Average: 5 (4 votes)

Robbie Smith, a wonderful community TV producer from Chicago who worked with us closely on the Chicago media ownership hearing in Chicago just forwarded me this message from Sen. Durbin regarding media ownership. She encouraged me to share it with this forum.

 

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Average: 3.3 (4 votes)

Last week Davey D, the Bay Area deejay and journalist, released his Hip Hop Awards for 2007, including the best and worst moments in hip hop for the past year. At number four on his best Hip Hop moments from 2007 DaveyD discusses the community's involvement in the fight for a better media. He points out the important presence of hip hop artists at two of the FCC hearings this fall.

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Average: 4.6 (7 votes)

Right before the FCC voted to loosen cross-ownership rules across the country, allowing one company to own the major daily newspaper and a TV or radio station in the same city, they handed out waivers to the Tribune company to let their new owner Sam Zell hold onto all their vast media properties in Chicago and around the country.

Now, the new year brings with it news that "Tribune and Local TV station groups now have 40 network affiliates in 33 markets (including 14 of the top 25), seven duopolies, $1.6 billion in annual revenue and the marketplace clout that comes with all that size."

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Average: 4.7 (6 votes)

On Friday December 7th from 5:00 to 6:30PM, about a dozen media activists braved freezing temperatures, a blockade of violence-prone Chicago police, and thousands of mostly indifferent holiday shoppers, to take part in the 2007 Chicago Media Action Holiday Singalong. It was held outside of Tribune Tower, the national corporate headquarters of the Tribune Company. The media giant's TV station and newspapercross-ownerships have come under an increasing level of scrutiny by the public and Congress due to FCC actions concerning the pending sale of the Tribune Company to billionaire Sam Zell.
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Average: 3.4 (8 votes)

At a time when the din of rehashed holiday music pipes through every loudspeaker in every shopping mall and public square, there are some carollors in Chicago who are giving new life to these tired tunes.

For example “Oh Sam Zell” (set to the tune “Jingle Bells”):
Stockholders want a change
The Tribune's Up For Sale
A Deal We'll Arrange
The Check Is In The Mail
Bribe the FCC
Get Our Waivers Through
Who Cares If Laws Deny Our Plea?
The Public Has No Clue!
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Average: 3.6 (7 votes)

Late on Friday — which FCC watchers know is the only time new policies are announced– the agency effectively granted Tribune Co. further waivers to operate both TV stations and the major daily newspaper in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Hartford Conn.

The FCC had been under intense lobbying pressure to approve the waivers so that real estate magnate Sam Zell could complete his complex buyout of Tribune before the end of the year. But FCC Kevin Martin didn’t stop there.

The FCC could have issued a single temporary waiver while it sorts out the rules governing newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership everywhere. But the FCC’s maneuver is far more complicated — and devious.

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Average: 4.3 (6 votes)

Recently, Verizon and NBC struck up a deal to push Verizon Wireless products in 30 Rock, but they did not count on Tina Fey turning the tables, calling out Verizon for this covert marketing effort.

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Average: 3 (2 votes)

Dear Mr. Commissioner,

 

I am writing to you with regard to the FCC's relaxed attitude with respect to media consolidation and the damage it has already cost us within our localized market. I own my own independant record and have so for the last 13 years. in the beginning we had ample amount of opportunities as a result of localized radio play. Our market supported us in a way in which we were hereby able to also support other revenue streams from other local independant magazines promoters, etc. However, since the passing of the 1996 telecommunications act, our market has dwindled to an economic disaster and as a result we've been forced to leave the number 3 market in the country with respect to record sells just to find an opportunity, not to mention as well our market has become a breeding ground for radio program directors, on-air personalities, and even mix-show dj's engaging in the most blatant form of payola that you have ever seen. Please do something about this because with so much corruption taking place on our airwaves this is not something we are willing to tolerate.

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