[Vision2020] FCC to rule on huge changes, apparently with no public input

Sat, 3 May 2003 17:17:21 -0700

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The following was taken off the fcc.gov website after hearing Michael =
Copps last night on Bill Moyers' NOW. =20

I realize that I am under the influence of the McCullough biography of =
John Adams, outraged by corporate greed, considerably worried about the =
shrinking ownership/control of the press and media, but I certainly do =
not trust five people -- without public input and debate -- to protect =
us from the spectre of becoming even less informed than we already are =
or are able to be.  We need the broadest, most free, healthiest system =
of communication(s) more now than ever.  There is very little time to =
weigh in on this one. =20

There is a wealth of contact and other  information on the fcc.gov site; =
commissioners' emails follow. =20

Michael K. Powell mpowell@fcc.gov

Kathleen Q. Abernathy kabernat@fcc.gov

Michael J. Copps mcopps@fcc.gov

Kevin J. Martin kjmweb@fcc.gov

Jonathan S. Adelstein jadelste@fcc.gov

FCC COMMISSIONER COPPS ADDRESSES USC MEDIA OWNERSHIP FORUM (4/28/03)=20

           =20

Los Angeles =96 Commissioner Michael J. Copps told the University of =
Southern California Media Consolidation Forum today that neither he nor =
the American people had been given a look at the media ownership program =
that will be voted on in a little over one month.  Copps also discussed =
some ideas he would like to see included.

=20

It is a major problem, Copps said that just 35 days before the scheduled =
June 2nd vote, =93we don=92t know what we will be voting on.  We don=92t =
have the details, or even the broad configuration, of what the new =
system will be.=94

=20

Copps further indicated displeasure with the way the process will =
unfold.  =93In just over a month, the FCC will have voted on this, =
changed the rules, reconfigured the media landscape, and told the world =
that, =91sorry there=92s no opportunity or time for public comment on =
what has been decided.=92=94  He complained that even when a formal =
proposal is put before the Commission, =93it will be =93Eyes Only=94 not =
permitted to circulate outside the Commission for comment.=94  Copps =
remarked that such an approach was bad policy for so important an issue, =
and one that, by concealing the details, could cause problems in the =
courts later on.  He said he thought the courts would be =93more likely =
to sustain rules that had been thoroughly vetted and empirically =
analyzed.=94

  =20

Commissioner Copps outlined three principles he would like to see =
included as the Commission moves rapidly toward a vote.  First, he said, =
=93let=92s start with the premise that this is the people=92s property =
we are dealing with.  We=92re talking about public airwaves and how they =
should be utilized to advance the interests of our citizens.  =
Broadcasting is a business, but it=92s a very special business with =
large public purposes.=94

  =20

Secondly, Copps wants the proceeding to address the broad range of =
issues laid out by the Commission last September and by the public in =
its comments.  He told his audience that the Commission should consider =
two things in particular.  One is the suggestion to require more =
independently produced television programming.  Proposals, including one =
to require 25% of prime-time programming to be produced by independent =
studios, have been presented to the Commission.  Copps said that =
consideration of these proposals should be part of the pending ownership =
decision because program distribution and program production are so =
closely intertwined.  Copps would also like to see consideration of a =
=93real, honest-to-goodness license renewal process=94 predicated on the =
public interest to address increasing media consolidation. =20

=20

Arguing that the present station license process has been reduced to =
little more than cursory post-card renewal, Copps said a more thorough =
vetting would provide for =93a comprehensive look at how a station has =
discharged its public responsibilities over the term of its license.  =
Properly designed, this process would avoid micro-management but still =
achieve the desired public interest results.  I hope we=92ll at least =
talk about it.=94

=20

Third, Copps called for additional analysis and at least a brief period =
for public comment before new rules are implemented.  He cited the =
extensive consolidation of radio that followed the 1996 =
Telecommunication Act and relaxed FCC rules as an unintended consequence =
that no one foresaw.  Copps said that =93before the genie is let out of =
the bottle, we=92d better understand the consequences, because there=92s =
no putting the genie back after we vote.=94  Copps cited published =
reports of a =93gold rush=94 of deal-making that would follow the June =
2nd vote.  Copps said there were many unanswered questions concerning =
further media consolidation that deserved to be considered, such as its =
impact on ethnic groups, children, violent and indecent programming, =
small business, and new broadcasting technology, particularly digital =
programming.  Copps has been arguing that such questions merit at least =
some consideration before the vote, because they will certainly be =
affected by the vote=92s outcome.

=20

Copps concluded by calling on the media, particularly the large networks =
which he said have ignored the ownership issues, to begin covering them =
in the remaining few weeks.  =93It is their public interest obligation =
to do so,=94 he said.  =93Thus far, their refusal to cover this issue =
has been just dreadful.=94=20

=20

=20

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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">The following was taken off the fcc.gov=20
website&nbsp;after hearing Michael Copps last night on Bill Moyers'=20
NOW.&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">I realize that I am under the influence of =
the=20
McCullough biography of John Adams,&nbsp;outraged by corporate greed,=20
considerably worried about the shrinking ownership/control of the press =
and=20
media, but I certainly do not trust five people -- without&nbsp;public =
input and=20
debate -- to protect us from the spectre of&nbsp;becoming even less =
informed=20
than we already are or are able to be.&nbsp; We need the broadest, most =
free,=20
healthiest system of communication(s) more now than ever.&nbsp;=20
</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">There is =
very little=20
time to weigh in on this one.&nbsp; </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">There is a wealth of contact and other=20
&nbsp;information on the fcc.gov site;&nbsp;commissioners' emails=20
follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">Michael&nbsp;K. Powell <A=20
href=3D"mailto:mpowell@fcc.gov">mpowell@fcc.gov</A></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><=
/P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">Kathleen Q. Abernathy <A=20
href=3D"mailto:kabernat@fcc.gov">kabernat@fcc.gov</A></SPAN></SPAN></FONT=
></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">Michael J. Copps <A=20
href=3D"mailto:mcopps@fcc.gov">mcopps@fcc.gov</A></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P=
>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">Kevin J. Martin <A=20
href=3D"mailto:kjmweb@fcc.gov">kjmweb@fcc.gov</A></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P=
>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">Jonathan S. Adelstein <A=20
href=3D"mailto:jadelste@fcc.gov">jadelste@fcc.gov</A></SPAN></SPAN></FONT=
></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: =
243.0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman">FCC=20
COMMISSIONER COPPS ADDRESSES USC MEDIA OWNERSHIP FORUM (4/28/03)&nbsp;<B =

style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><?xml:namespace=20
prefix =3D o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"=20
/><o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Los Angeles =96 =
Commissioner=20
Michael J. Copps told the University of Southern California Media =
Consolidation=20
Forum today that neither he nor the American people had been given a =
look at the=20
media ownership program that will be voted on in a little over one =
month.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps also discussed some =
ideas he would=20
like to see included.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It is a major =
problem,=20
Copps said that just 35 days before the scheduled June 2nd vote, =93we =
don=92t know=20
what we will be voting on.&nbsp; =
We don=92t=20
have the details, or even the broad configuration, of what the new =
system will=20
be.=94<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Copps further =
indicated=20
displeasure with the way the process will unfold.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =93In just over a month, the =
FCC will have=20
voted on this, changed the rules, reconfigured the media landscape, and =
told the=20
world that, =91sorry there=92s no opportunity or time for public comment =
on what has=20
been decided.=92=94&nbsp; He =
complained that=20
even when a formal proposal is put before the Commission, =93it will be =
=93Eyes=20
Only=94 not permitted to circulate outside the Commission for =
comment.=94<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps remarked that such an =
approach was=20
bad policy for so important an issue, and one that, by concealing the =
details,=20
could cause problems in the courts later on.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; He said he thought the courts =
would be=20
=93more likely to sustain rules that had been thoroughly vetted and =
empirically=20
analyzed.=94<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; =
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Commissioner =
Copps outlined=20
three principles he would like to see included as the Commission moves =
rapidly=20
toward a vote.&nbsp; First, he =
said,=20
=93let=92s start with the premise that this is the people=92s =
property we are=20
dealing with.&nbsp; We=92re =
talking about=20
public airwaves and how they should be utilized to advance the interests =
of our=20
citizens.&nbsp; Broadcasting is =
a=20
business, but it=92s a very special business with large public=20
purposes.=94<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; =
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Secondly, Copps =
wants the=20
proceeding to address the broad range of issues laid out by the =
Commission last=20
September and by the public in its comments.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; He told his audience that the =
Commission=20
should consider two things in particular.&nbsp;=20
One is the suggestion to require more independently produced =
television=20
programming.&nbsp; Proposals, =
including=20
one to require 25% of prime-time programming to be produced by =
independent=20
studios, have been presented to the Commission.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps said that consideration =
of these=20
proposals should be part of the pending ownership decision because =
program=20
distribution and program production are so closely intertwined.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps would also like to see=20
consideration of a =93real, honest-to-goodness license renewal =
process=94 predicated=20
on the public interest to address increasing media consolidation.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Arguing that =
the present=20
station license process has been reduced to little more than cursory =
post-card=20
renewal, Copps said a more thorough vetting would provide for =93a =
comprehensive=20
look at how a station has discharged its public responsibilities over =
the term=20
of its license.&nbsp; Properly =
designed,=20
this process would avoid micro-management but still achieve the desired =
public=20
interest results.&nbsp; I hope =
we=92ll at=20
least talk about it.=94<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Third, =
Copps called=20
for additional analysis and at least a brief period for public comment =
before=20
new rules are implemented.&nbsp; =
He cited=20
the extensive consolidation of radio that followed the 1996 =
Telecommunication=20
Act and relaxed FCC rules as an unintended consequence that no one =
foresaw.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps said that =93before the =
genie is let=20
out of the bottle, we=92d better understand the consequences, because =
there=92s no=20
putting the genie back after we vote.=94&nbsp;=20
Copps cited published reports of a =93gold rush=94 of deal-making =
that would=20
follow the June 2nd vote.&nbsp; =
Copps=20
said there were many unanswered questions concerning further media =
consolidation=20
that deserved to be considered, such as its impact on ethnic groups, =
children,=20
violent and indecent programming, small business, and new broadcasting=20
technology, particularly digital programming.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Copps has been arguing that =
such=20
questions merit at least some consideration before the vote, because =
they will=20
certainly be affected by the vote=92s =
outcome.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Copps concluded =
by calling=20
on the media, particularly the large networks which he said have ignored =
the=20
ownership issues, to begin covering them in the remaining few =
weeks.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =93It is their public interest =
obligation=20
to do so,=94 he said. &nbsp;=93Thus far,=20
their refusal to cover this issue has been just dreadful.=94=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><o:p></o:p>
<FONT=20
face=3D"Times New =
Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></DIV>
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