[Media-watch] US Media Regulation

[William Dinan]

USA: The Media	
US Media Rules: A Tradeoff for Supporting Bush Policies?	

The Washington DC-based Center for Digital Democracy has expressed alarm
that Big Media is tailoring its Iraq war coverage and political reporting to
present the Bush administration in the best possible light  the desired
tradeoff being a sympathetic decision by the Federal Communications
Commission on the issue of media ownership. 

The FCC, chaired by Michael K Powell, son of the more famous Colin, has now
entered a period of closed session on the liberalization of media ownership
rules that currently prevent a TV broadcaster from owning another network or
radio station and newspaper in the same market [WAMN: 14-Apr-03]. The
waiving of these rules has been the subject of bellicose lobbying by US
media giants. 

Under existing regulations, no broadcaster is permitted to reach more than
35% of the national audience. There are also strict limits on how many TV
and radio stations a company can own in any market. 

But according to CDD executive director Jeffrey Chester, the big networks,
led by Rupert Murdochs Fox, have adopted a narrow-minded commercial
mindset [resulting in failure to] effectively analyse and criticise the Iraq
war policy. Murdoch has encountered with customary impassivity a wave of
criticism for imposing his pro-war stance on all News Corporation-owned
media outlets. 

It is likely that decisions about how to cover the war on Iraq  especially
on television  may be tempered by a concern not alienate the White House,
Chester fears. These media giants stand to make untold billions if the FCC
safeguards are eliminated or weakened. 

Disney, which owns the ABC network, has demanded the relaxation of all
broadcast ownership rules and is forcefully against a proposal to open
network prime time to independent producers. 

Similarly, Gannett group, Americas largest newspaper publisher and owner of
the nations only national daily, USA Today, has argued against the rule
that prevents a broadcaster from owning a TV station in the same market. 
Data sourced from: MediaGuardian.co.uk; additional content by WARC staff

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USA: Media Ownership Goes Under FCC Microscope - 3 Oct 02