Transition to Digital TV

Drew Clark, Senior Writer at Technology Daily, was on Washington Journal on 7/16/2005

This link might work or search the archives but I think it eventually becomes unavailable.

Very Large Numbers of Americans Hold Negative Opinions about the News Outlets

"The public continues to express skepticism toward news outlets and those who run them.
More than half (53%) agree with the statement"I often don't trust what news organizations are saying."
Nearly as many (48%) believe people who decide on news content are "out of touch." link to PDF:
people-press.org/reports/pdf/215.pdf

the power of television to inform the public

"Roughly three-quarters of Americans state that they get their information from broadcast or cable television.  No other source of information—not newspapers, magazines, or the Internet—comes close to the power of television to inform the public." from -Be A Witness Overview of Research and Methodology.

The contemplated FCC action could result in the biggest special interest windfall, at the expense of American taxpayers, in history.

Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and Michael Calabrese, director of the Spectrum Policy Program at the New America Foundation, warn us of "another harmful move being contemplated by the [ FCC ] commission." Their article is a warning that the FCC plans to sell off our airwaves, "We're talking about privatizing the airwaves, a public resource worth hundreds of billions of dollars in both market value and future federal revenue." - from their article "Don't privatize our airwaves A FEW LUCKY INDUSTRIES WOULD REAP HUGE PROFITS" By Norman Ornstein and Michael Calabrese.

"These airwaves are owned by the public. For more than 75 years broadcasters, cellular phone companies and other commercial service providers have acquired exclusive access to scarce spectrum space only under temporary, renewable licenses; in return, they serve the public interest." They warn the FCC plan "confers a massive and undeserved financial windfall -- up to $500 billion -- on a few lucky industries."

FAQ

Is this like the public access on cable TV?

No. These new channels will be broadcast quality productions utilizing professional camera and sound people with technical expertise equal to that found on the major network TV. The public will use the services to reach their fellow Americans, the technical employees at the stations will enable them to do so.

Do the broadcasters now pay to use our airwaves?

No. The broadcast licenses are given to the TV and radio broadcasters for free on the condition that they serve the public interest.

The general public must compete on equal footing with powerful interests.

Another example of the relationship between Big Media and Big Government:
"... coverage of a different sort is taking place in the ABC "Government Affairs" suite, as the network apparently uses its plum position and its press passes to lobby lawmakers on the convention floor." Watching the watchers

The general public must compete on equal footing with powerful interests. We now have a historic opportunity, a powerful solution to the problem of giving citizens equal political power with major corporations. We now have a historic opportunity to secure our rights to equal political participation. We now have a historic opportunity to effectively use our political power, armed with information as easily found as we find commercials. We now have a historic opportunity to broadcast news and information selected by ourselves with maximum distribution of power presented through mass communication. We must establish a Fair Media to take advantage of this opportunity. If we allow all of our airwaves to be sold off we will have lost our chance since it will be next to impossible to pry those airwaves out of corporate hands after they grab them.

Historic Opportunity to Use Our Airwaves

(Web site updated)

Historic Opportunity for Media Reform

Powerful special interests are lobbying our government right now in order to gain control of the new TV and radio channel capacity made possible by digital broadcasts. We must act now if we want to have a say in who will control the new channels. We have a historic opportunity to add a powerful check and balance on mainstream media, we must not let it slip away.

Central Question of Media Reform

The central question of media reform with regard to the transition from analog to digital television is: are we going to get what is in our best interests? After all is said and done, are we going to get any new channels that we can control? When the legislation that gets passed under the banner of "media reform" is implemented are we going to have something tangible to show for it that answers the complaint of most Americans: the network news is not fair and balanced. We must provide for ourselves an effective counter balance that puts decision making power in the hands of the American citizens. A check and balance on the power of the current media elites.

The central question of media reform with regard to the transition from analog to digital television is: are we going to get what is in our best interests? After all is said and done, are we going to get any new channels that we can control? When the legislation that gets passed under the banner of "media reform" is implemented, are we going to have something tangible that answers the complaint of most Americans: the network news is not fair and balanced? We must provide for ourselves an effective counter balance that puts decision making power in the hands of the American citizens. A check and balance on the power of the current media elites.

text of flyer handed out at The National Conference for Media Reform: [with new comments added]

The problem of Big Media can be solved by establishing a Fair Media [using legislative power, a "Fair Media Act" which is what FairMedia.org is all about: "Fair Media is a grassroots media reform organization which advocates for a public media system established by a Fair Media Act" ], a system of additional broadcast channels in competition with the current mainstream system. These new television channels will provide the necessary checks and balances on Big Media power. Under this proposal, when we switch from analog to digital television, a portion of the publicly owned broadcasting frequencies will be retained by the American people , held in public trust to serve the public's interests. ["retained" and "held in the public trust" meaning that we use them ourselves as opposed to auctioning them all off. All the airways should remain property of the American people, private interests can lease them from us for a fee.]

As opposed to Big Media, where decisions are made by a select few, a Fair Media will be controlled by the general public. The new channels, free of private control and ownership influences, will compete against the current media system. The decisions about what gets selected and who gets selected to be on these channels will be in the hands of the American people, ensured by decentralized administration and totally open public oversight.

Establishing a Fair Media is powerful media reform, creating a true public forum on publicly owned airwaves. Offer this Fair Media solution to other media activists so they can contribute to it and help make the vision a reality. Any suggestions or questions can be submitted to Fair Media blog or emailed to contact@FairMedia.org

Fair Media Online Store

Fair Media Online Store
Fair Media Fitted T-Shirt
Fair Media Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Fair Media Sweatshirt

The problem of Big Media can be solved

The problem of Big Media can be solved by establishing a Fair Media. The proposal is ten additional broadcast channels in competition with the current mainstream system. These new television channels will provide the necessary checks and balances on Big Media power. Under this proposal, when we switch from analog to digital television, a portion of the publicly owned broadcasting frequencies will be retained by the American people, held in public trust to serve the public's interests.

As opposed to Big Media, where decisions are made by a select few, a Fair Media will be controlled by the general public. The new channels, free of private control and ownership influences, will compete against the current media system. The decisions about what gets selected and who gets selected to be on these channels will be in the hands of the American people, ensured by decentralized administration and totally open public oversight.

Establishing a Fair Media establishes a true public forum on publicly owned airwaves.

We must develop a plan for what the Fair Media system will consist of. One of the first tasks is to offer this Fair Media solution to other media activists so they can contribute to it and help make the vision a reality.

Add your suggestions HERE or http://fightbigmedia.meetup.com/82/boards/ or email suggestions@fairmedia.org

Add Your Suggestions Here

What a Fair Media system should look like? Add your suggestions HERE.
What kinds of shows should be broadcast to serve the public interest?

Media Ownership Video

I taped this and can lend the tape at the The New York City Fight Big Media Meetup:
the link to buy it is here:Media Ownership Product ID: 185309-1

Media Ownership

Event Date: January 27, 2005
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Aired: C-SPAN: January 31, 2005
Length: 58 minutes ( I only taped 47:30 )
Sponsors:  Close Up Foundation
Appearances:
John Milewski
- Host, Close Up Foundation
Ben Scott
- Policy Analyst, Free Press
John Dunbar
- Manager, The Center for Public Integrity
Summary:
Participants talked about the state of the
telecommunications industry, media
ownership regulation, use of the public
airwaves, and the state of public affairs
programming. Following their remarks
they answered questions from the audience.
http://www.fairmedia.org
http://www.freepress.net
http://www.c-span.org
http://www.closeup.org
http://www.publicintegrity.org

concerns about the business of the media

Our Unfree Press: 100 Years of Radical Media Criticism
by Robert W. McChesney, Ben Scott
"The FCC's recent controversial decision to roll back restrictions on media conglomeration produced an outpouring of protest and dissent; more than 700,000 Americans personally registered complaints along with organizations as diverse as NOW and the NRA."

"Must-reading for anyone concerned by corporate consolidation of the media, Our Unfree Press reveals the necessity of a radical revision in our perception of the business of media."

Who replaces FCC's Powell? It's up to You

Michael Powell is quitting. Good riddance. I just sent a letter to President Bush, asking him to appoint a new chairperson who will represent the public interest, not just corporate moguls. It only takes a few minutes. You should send one, too. Go to newFCCchair
Add this to your email:
Please add a fee based on revenue to broadcast licences. Please shut down VOA and use the money towards a Fair Media. http://www.FairMedia.org

An Enlightened Citizenry is Indispensable

"The writings of Jefferson and Madison attest to the distinct social function of the free press. Jefferson, in particular, saw freedom of the press as the foundation of popular democracy and as protection against elite rule. "If once they [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs," he wrote his friend Edward Carrington, "you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves." Ironically, Jefferson's letter to Carrington is sometimes taken as arguing that the government should let private interests rule the press and let the chips fall where they may. Here is the most cited passage, but I include the follow-up sentence, which is sometimes omitted. "The basis of our governments being the opinion of people," Jefferson wrote, "the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers, and be capable of reading them." The implication of this final sentence is that it is not enough to negatively protect the press system. Active promotion is necessary to ensure universal distribution of public information to competent citizens. In other words, the public's right to hear a variety of voices and properly digest their messages is the central platform of a democracy. On another occasion, Jefferson remarked, "An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic." As Madison famously put it, "A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a tragedy or perhaps both." And such a free press, they argued, came as the result of explicit government policies and subsidies that would create; to think otherwise was nonsensical." McChesney p29
"The Problem of the Media: U.S. Communication Politics in the Twenty-First Century"

Local Media Ownership

"NOW with Bill Moyers has been reporting on media consolidation for nearly two years — and there is more to report almost daily." Politics & Economy. Media Consolidation. Local Media Ownership | PBS

Influence of Money

Networks of Influence
The political power of the communications industry WASHINGTON, October 28, 2004 — A new Center for Public Integrity investigation of campaign contributions, lobbying expenditures and other spending shows that the communications industry has spent $1.1 billion since 1998 to affect election outcomes and influence legislation before Congress and the White House.

The Fair Media Proposal

When we digitize the broadcast spectrum we should not give away or sell off these prime airways. In order for the people to be best served and for the people to have their rights protected we must set up a system that opens access to the general public. There should be a set of broadcast channels that are in competition with the existing networks and that are controlled not by a select number of elites but rather by the people in general.

Recommended Book: "The Problem of the Media"

McChesney's book, "The Problem of the Media: U.S. Communication Politics in the Twenty-First Century" explores the impact of media ownership and what that does to average citizens and democracy in America.

media that better reflects America

"But on the question of what these groups' larger and long-term objectives were for the media, I did get some kind of consensus. At the most fundamental level, there is a demand for a forum, for a place where diverse ideas can be heard and contrasted. The ideal seemed to be media that better reflect America, with its diversity, its ideological contentiousness, its multitude of values and standards.

When I asked Monsignor Maniscalco how he would want broadcasters to act in an ideal world, I assumed he would posit some narrow vision of an all-Catholic twenty-four-hour news channel, but he didn't. "We would like them to take a chance on things that are noncommercial, that are simply not on television," the monsignor said. "Not for the sake of how much money they can make, but because they represent significant aspects of the community. We would really like to see the concept of broadcasting in the public interest be recognized by these people as a legitimate aspect of their work."

When I posed the problem of whether he could eventually agree to share airtime with all the groups in this coalition, groups like NOW with which he had fundamental and deep disagreements, Monsignor Maniscalco had a simple answer: "You could say that the goal is for the media to give us access so we can finally have a space to argue amongst ourselves." "
from Tripping Up Big Media

The real answer is American ingenuity and personal responsibility. Giving ourselves access, not sitting by as viewers hoping that we get a fair deal. Setting the content for ourselves directly, not . Not pleading with a "decision making class" to determine what we get to see. And the beauty of the new frame work is that it is not to replace the existing broadcast networks but rather it is to offer an alternative that is in competition with the big media outlets on a level playing field. That competition will benefit each broadcast ownership framework. Pushing each broadcast system to be the best it can be.