The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is coming to Stanford University on Friday, May 21 for a public hearing on the impact of the internet and media consolidation on local journalism. In 2007, the FCC weakened a 30-year-old ban on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership. Public interest groups say that the rule change is costing journalism jobs and leads to less local reporting.  They are calling on the FCC to reinstate the ban on cross-ownership.

The hearing will last from 10am to 5pm and will be held at Dinkelspiel Auditorium, 471 Lagunita Drive on the Stanford campus. Two panels will feature noted speakers Jim Joyce, Vice-President of Communications Workers of America and Tiffiniy Ying Cheng of the Participatory Culture Foundation alongside large corporate media representatives. Periods for public comment will follow the panel presentations.

The Raging Grannies will lead a demonstration from 9:45 am outside the auditorium. They will be joined by members of other organizations who also oppose weakening the ban on cross-ownership for a second demonstration from noon to 1:15pm.

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Why Media Ownership Still Matters