mass protests against NAB after police attack

MEDIA DEMOCRACY MASS DEMONSTRATIONS, CONCERT
& PRESS CONFERENCE SATURDAY

Nine free speech activists and their attorneys arrested,
and FCC Commissioner’s Speech Disrupted on Friday at National
Association of Broadcasters Convention.

Following up their "day of direct action"
on Friday, free speech activists will hold a mass rally at 4 p.m.
at United Nations Plaza, to be followed by a march and concert
at 6:30 p.m. at Union Square. At 12 noon, the protestors will
hold a press conference outside the National Public Radio Board
of Directors meeting at the Hilton Hotel, 333 O'Farrell Street.
The occasion for these historic media democracy demonstration is
the National Association of Broadcasters annual convention, which
is being held at the Moscone Center Sept. 20-23, 2000.

"Tomorrow promises to be perhaps the largest demonstration about
media issues in recent memory. Whether the issue is commercialization,
the destruction of Low Power radio, or communities greatly under-
served by corporate media, people will be out in force to demand
greater access to the public airwaves," said Peter Hart of FAIR, the
New York-based media watch group.

On Friday, protestors disrupted the NAB’s FCC Congressional Breakfast.
Just after FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth was introduced to
convention goers by NAB president Eddie Fritts, Andrea Buffa of Media
Alliance jumped up on stage and grabbed the microphone. "I’m here for
the free speech demonstrators. The airwaves belong to the public, not
just corporations," she said. In other direct actions, four activists
got into the convention and locked themselves together with bicycle
locks. Others, including media critic Steve Rendall of FAIR, were
arrested during a march to Clear Channel Communications. At around
noon, three attorneys representing the activists were arrested as they
negotiated for access to their clients.

Following is a schedule of Saturday’s events. For background information
on the NAB—one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States
—see http://www.mediademocracynow.org. For breaking news on the NAB protests,
see http://www.indybay.org.

12 Noon, Hilton Hotel, 333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
Press Conference, National Public Radio Board of Directors Meeting
NPR has joined with the NAB to lobby against Low Power FM radio stations
(also called micro radio stations). Media reform groups and public radio
listeners will call on the NPR board to change its position, and encourage
NPR listeners to withhold pledges until NPR ends its opposition. At about
3 p.m. Low Power FM advocates will do a presentation to the NPR Board. See
ad in today’s New York Times for more information on NPR and Low Power FM.

4 p.m., United Nations Plaza, Market and 7th Streets, San Francisco
Rally & March
Speakers including Joe Marshall, formerly of KMEL’s Street Soldiers, Stephen
Dunifer of Free Radio Berkeley, Louie Rocha, President of CWA Local 9423.
Performances by the Alternative Cheerleaders, Los Mission Poets, Teatro
Campesino, Michelle Tea, and others

6:30 p.m., Union Square, Powell and Mason Streets, San Francisco
Broadcast This! Indy Musicians Concert
Jello Biafra, formerly of the Dead Kennedys, Company of Prophets, Martin
Luther, and other indy musicians will perform. Featured speech by Amy
Goodman of Democracy Now.