Tell Congress to stop what's really indecent about the media: consolidation

Congress is having high-profile hearings to debate the crisis in American media.

Media concentration? Nope -- indecency.

Spurred on by Janet Jackson's Super Bowl antics, Congress has decided to try to address the issue of television's 'race to the bottom.' Their answer? Increasing token fines on broadcasters that push the envelope with explicit content.

We need your help to get Congress to focus on what's truly obscene: Big Media getting any bigger.

The Super Bowl half-time show is just the latest example of synergy gone wild -- CBS (which aired the game) and MTV (which produced the half-time show) are corporate cousins in the Viacom media empire. And last summer, the FCC passed rules that will allow media giants like Viacom to get even bigger, narrowing the range of debate and stifling minority and independent voices. It has to stop. Members of Congress are focused on the media today--we've got to tell them what really matters to us.

We need you to call your representative in Congress. Urge him or her to co-sponsor House Joint Resolution 72, the resolution of disapproval that would roll back the new FCC rules. We need you to tell them that the real solution to the problems of our media has to address the root cause: the growing concentration of media ownership.

Click here for your representative's information and detailed instructions: http://www.mediareform.net/callcongress.php

Forward this to everyone you know who cares about fostering a truly democratic media.

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Last summer, the Federal Communications Commission passed rules that would allow media giants like Viacom to get even bigger, not only speeding along the 'race to the bottom' but narrowing the range of debate, focusing on celebrity over policy, reducing elections to horse races, stifling minority viewpoints, and barraging us with advertising.

Millions of Americans last year told Congress and the FCC that we're asking for more trouble if we allow the FCC's relaxation of media ownership limits to stand. That decision allows a single company to buy multiple TV stations, eight radio stations, the biggest newspaper, and the cable system in a given community. Media concentration has led to less children's programming, cuts in newsroom staff, a decline in minority-owned media, and the stifling of independent voices.

Congress tried and failed to solve this problem in 2003. We cannot allow them to ignore the issue in 2004. It's up to us to get our representatives to commit to truly democratic policies--like reversing the FCC's media ownership decision.

Right now is a critical moment. Take 3 minutes and make a difference.

Sincerely,

The Free Press Team

P.S.: While most of the action today seems to be taking place in Washington, the real story is actually unfolding in Philadelphia. There, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit will hear oral arguments today regarding the new FCC rules. For the most recent information regarding this groundbreaking case, visit http://www.mediareform.net/media/philadelphia.php .

P.P.S.: Stay up to date on news relating to media reform with our free daily headline service. Sign up at http://www.mediareform.net/news/deliveries.php . Give it a try; both subscribing and unsubscribing are easy.