FCC Releases, Withholds Ownership Documents

[kster]

January 21st, 2007 by Andy in Media and Democracy


Apparently the FCC is still withholding documents relating to localism and the media. Michael Powell buried these when he was the Chairman, and now there needs to be a full accounting of FCC reporting responsibilities. But then again, what do we really expect from a government ‘regulatory’ agency in whose entire history, only TWO former commissioners did not leave the agency to join the corporate industries they were ostensibly regulating. Once again, it seems to prove the adage that the only thing regulatory agencies actually regulate is the amount of democratic accountability which will be required of these private entities chartered supposedly to serve the public good.

The FCC’s Media Bureau has released a number of documents and audio transcripts related to its media ownership proceeding, but has withheld some 1,400 pages of documents, including two draft reports, citing various privilege exemptions.

Ah, the ‘trade secret’ provisions of copyright, becoming and increasingly ubiquitous claim for the corporate shields. One of its more pernicious uses seems to be that of electronic voting machine corporations, which make such ‘proprietary software’ claims when we want to see how our votes were counted. This is similar in that the FCC makes rulings with profound consequences, which also just happen to serve the specific interests of the minority governing elites of corporations, and then refuse to let anyone see the data they based such decision making on.

I’m not one to be too shocked by this kind of naked wielding of power, but even I was taken aback by the extent of this, when while speaking briefly to FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein (one of the two good ones still on the commission), he told me that even HE had not seen the rulemaking decision which was voted on in December, eliminating local franchising and most likely spelling the death knell for numerous community access facilities and public access channels around the country.


http://www.ustvmedia.org/media-and-democracy/2007/01/21/fcc-releases-withholds-ownership-documents/

[eppur_se_muova]

1. K&R -- needs more eyeballs. nt

[kster]

2. Indeed it does, and

thanks for the RECOMMEND. :thumbsup:

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Needs one more for greatest page ... c'mon, latenighters! nt

[Peace Patriot]

4. It's as if we have to reconstruct the entire government of the United States!

FEMA. The EPA. The National Guard. The U.S. Military. The intelligence agencies. U.S. diplomacy. U.S. financial solvency. The Constitution. The Congress. Now the FCC. What hasn't this Junta damaged or destroyed? It is a wrecking crew.

[tbyg52]

6. They did exactly what they said they wanted to do. nt

[Supersedeas]

5. open and honest government....maybe next time