Kucinich: Congress To Take On FCC

[helderheid]

January 15, 2007

Over the weekend, the National Conference for Media Reform was held in Memphis, TN, with a number of notable speakers on hand for the event. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made an surprise appearance at the convention to announce that he would be heading up a new House subcommittee which will focus on issues surrounding the Federal Communications Commission.

The Presidential candidate said that the committee would be holding "hearings to push media reform right at the center of Washington.” The Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Government Reform Committee was to be officially announced this week in Washington, D.C., but Kucinich opted to make the news public early.

In addition to media ownership, the committee is expected to focus its attention on issues such as net neutrality and major telecommunications mergers. Also in consideration is the "Fairness Doctrine," which required broadcasters to present controversial topics in a fair and honest manner. It was enforced until it was eliminated in 1987.

Kucinich said in his speech that "We know the media has become the servant of a very narrow corporate agenda" and added "we are now in a position to move a progressive agenda to where it is visible."

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps was also on hand at the conference and took broadcasters to task for their current content, speaking of "too little news, too much baloney passed off as news. Too little quality entertainment, too many people eating bugs on reality TV. Too little local and regional music, too much brain-numbing national play-lists." Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein also spoke at the event.


http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=333927

[Robbien]

1. Yes!

We should all get behind this.

[helderheid]

5. I was so thrilled to see this!

[BlueStateModerate]

2. The FCC should be abolished

Since when would any reasonable person want the government to have control over the media? If they decide what's fair, we're certainly in trouble.

[depakid]

18. It worked well for 50 years

Until Reagan and his corrupt chairman Mark Fowler dismantled its regulatory structure.

Every time you see a channel "blocked out" by hours long infomertials, you have Reagan to thank.

Every time you hear a lie or a personal attack on AM hate radio- you can thank Reagan, too.

[blm]

38. Agreed - it was fine till GOPs bought up control of broadcast newsmedia.

They spent the 80s and 90s buying up all broadcast and print newsmedia that became available and CREATED more with their fascist allies like Rupert Murdoch and Jack Welch.

[kentuck]

39. The government assured fairness...

as best it could be done. If left up to the corporations, some of them defense contractors, as is now the case, is much worse than having the government 'in charge'. After all, we are the government.

[Beelzebud]

40. Anyime a cellphone interferes with PC or stereo speakers, thank the FCC.

If you or I tried to sell something that put out that much electronic interference, we'd be shut down.

If you own a multi-billion dollar company, the FCC thinks it's just fine.

[emlev]

3. Go, Dennis~

Thanks for posting.

[helderheid]

7. you bet - love your sig picture!

[emlev]

25. Click on my sig. See what happens.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Jonathan Adelstein is the best.

I heard him when the FCC had its charade of hearings at Columbia University a few years back. He was the only one who made sense on the FCC panel.

[helderheid]

6. I hadn't heard of him before!

[helderheid]

8. .

[stevedeshazer]

9. Rec 5

The War on FCC is next.

I could not agree more.

[BayCityProgressive]

10. Kucinich

08.

[mikelgb]

11. Lovin all the Kucinich in the news

[Emit]

12. This is REALLY important! Tx for the info. n/t

[mmonk]

13. Great.

The first step to freedom is an informed public.

[Sapphire Blue]

14. A very well-deserved K&R!

[rpgamerd00d]

15. I hope he visited http://fccfu.com/

http://fccfu.com/

[helderheid]

17. Thanks so much for this link! I LOVE the video!!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

16. K&R! I don't understand your new slogan: "ooga, booga, smooga, wooga" but I hope you like these...

I don't really like that slogan but it's probably because, I just don't understand it yet.
Still, I'm old-fashioned in my approach to slogans; we were right during my youth, in several important ways:

BIG BROTHER WAS AND IS WATCHING

SEX AND LOVE AREN'T PORNOGRAPHIC
BUT WAR IS CERTAINLY OBSCENE

NO MORE WAR TOYS IS REASONABLE SINCE
"TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL" IS MORE
IMPORTANT NOW, THAN IT WAS WHEN CROSBY,
STILLS, NASH & YOUNG FIRST SANG THE SONG



SAVING NATURE IS ALSO INCREASING IN IMPORTANCE





NOW FOR A REALLY OLD SLOGAN and a direct analogy dealing with communications:

If not for the drug abuse, a new Renaissance was at hand, in our youth. Like the original 15th Century Italian Renaissance, a new communications tool was just around the corner. (In 1450 Johannes Gutenberg made his first printing press.)

Internet roots reach into the 60s, a time of Flower-Power and Hippies. In 1964, the RAND proposal, written by Paul Baran, states the principles of a new network, built for maximum robustness and flexibility. This new communications network was to have NO CENTRAL AUTHORITY. 1972 became a key year after Ray Tomlinson of BBN invented the first e-mail program. Over the years, an odd fact became clear. Instead of using the ARPANET for long distance computing, scientists began using it for communicating with each other, not only sharing results of experiments, but also for modern uses like gossiping!

When the first Renaissance came about, the ruling aristocracy lost a great deal of control and power over the masses, which signaled an end to Dark Ages, where oppression and human-rights abuses were main-stays in society. A growing Merchant-class in city-states of Northern Italy became a potent economic and social factor, providing a profound stimulus for advances in art, music, literature and science.

Giving voice to this time of rapid social advances, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola synthesized Platonism, Stoicism, Judaism, Jewish Mysticism, and host of other ideas into a single system. Above all, Pico personifies the Humanist. Before the birth Pico in 1463 CE, Humanism, which focuses on relationships between humanity and the Divine, became a social force in Italy.

In his Oration on the Dignity of Man, Pico states that you have “free choice and dignity, so you may fashion yourself into whatever form you choose. To you is granted power of degrading yourself into lower forms of life, like the beasts, and to you is granted power, contained in your intellect and judgment, to be reborn into higher forms, like the Divine." Almost a manifesto for the Renaissance, his speech affirms the importance of a human quest for intellectual attainment and enlightenment.

[helderheid]

22. No one understands it but here are a couple links to clarify!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3122897#3122928

and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3122897&mesg_id=3125366

[Greeby]

19. Ay carumba

At this rate, how is Dennis gonna be able to run his Presidential campaign?

[porphyrian]

20. Good. More. - n/t

[Malmo Blue]

21. Re: FCCensorship

When Michael Moore is being censored for opposing the war in Iraq, while Michael "Savage" can freely call for the genocide of a hundred million civilian Muslims...
Something is dead wrong with the FCC.

[mvd]

23. Go Dennis!

He never fails to take the lead on issues.

[NotGivingUp]

24. Thank you AGAIN, Dennis!!! This man's got my vote!

[helderheid]

26. The only one talking about impeachment, taking on the FCC, telling the truth, talking the talk and

walking the walk!

[NotGivingUp]

28. You got that right!!!!!

[helderheid]

29. Oh, and drafting legislation for paper ballots! YES!

[Armstead]

27. Yay! This has long been much-needed.

[emmadoggy]

30. Excellent!! K & R. nt

[Mrspeeker]

31. TAKE EM ON DENNIS

MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vidar]

32. I hope they don't sell out on this one.

[LWolf]

33. I'm not surprised.

Kucinich always seems to be where the action is, when it comes to key issues. :thumbsup:

[salin]

34. Thank you representative Kucinich!

[Peggy Day]

35. He could probably use some small donations from a lot of people

I gave. It may make a difference. I meant to post this to the original post-didn't mean to reply to your post-salin.

[helderheid]

41. Oh how I agree! I've sent him $30

[nolabels]

36. Looks to be a long battle

Hopefully the arrogant corporations will help drag it out till after the next election when things might be even more favorable.

[cain_7777]

37. 1 penny fine for every lie Faux news passes and they'll be broke in a week

Hold these asshats accountable

[helderheid]

42. !