It’s always easier to focus on a person than on an issue.

[rbnyc]

In 1983, 50 corporations controlled the vast majority of all news media in the U.S. Now, I think there are about 6. The FCC clearly does not work for the people. The erosion of media pluralism has been going on for a long time. It’s getting worse and worse. It’s created the climate where the loss of Keith Olbermann’s show, whether he was fired or he resigned, leaves a significant hole and we are panic-stricken.

However, in the lead-up to the most recent FCC ruling, did GD look like this:

Stop the FCC now or we will lose Olbermann, Maddow, and eventually DU!
I just came home from work and I can’t believe what’s going on with the FCC!
Sign this petition to stop the FCC from approving this merger!
We need media pluralism now!
Democracy depends upon Freedom of Information!
Act now before there are no more liberal voices on the air!
Are you willing to turn off your TVs and stop buying papers until the media monopoly is decimated?

As a fundraiser, I know that you can’t raise serious money by talking about the issues. You have to tell the stories. You have to have the poster child. In general, people aren’t compelled to act by what they think of statistics and arguments. They are compelled to act by how they feel about people. The trick is, to tie the person to the issue, to let a person’s story represent the underlying cause. If a fundraiser tells the story of a little Tommy who was abused in foster care to illustrate the need for child welfare reform, the fundraiser doesn’t want to just make sure that little Tommy is safe from abuse and neglect. The fundraiser wants to make sure that all children are safe from abuse and neglect. It’s the fundraiser’s job to always make this connection: This is little Tommy. There are 1,000,000 children just like little Tommy. You can help by helping us to promote our model for child welfare reform.

We all have a lot of feelings about losing Keith’s show. We all have a lot of different aspirations for him. But it’s our job to connect Keith’s story to the underlying issues and promote action on those issues. As we express our personal feelings, our shock and our fears, let’s not lose sight of that.

Some media reform links:

http://www.mediaaccess.org

http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4773591

http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main

http://www.fair.org/index.php

Please feel free to share information, ideas and actions.

[Kurovski]

1. K&R.

Bookmarked as well.

[rbnyc]

4. Thanks.

:hi:

I was going to wait 10 more minutes to thank you when this thread got pushed off the page, but I thought I'd go ahead and say hi right away.

;-)

[Kurovski]

10. Well it would be rude of me

not to wave back. :hi:

;-)

[FirstLight]

2. question

what is the name of Al Gore's channel? Isn't he Internet only?

How is it that the FCC has not fined Beck, et al for their violent rehtoric...?...or have them fired. :shrug:
Beck even said blatantly on the air that liberal/commies can't be reformed "you have to shoot them in the head" ....wtf?

The fcc is bought sold & paid for it seems...
and the internet, isn;t it next to be regulated away from our freedoms?

I am open to taking action, but i think the corporate overlords have this one in the bag...control the media and you control the populace.

[rbnyc]

3. Current

I have Current of FiOS. There is some really good journalism happening ther. But I was bummed when they cancelled my favorite movie review show.

It's disgusting that Beck is allowed to be on the air.

It's also hard to stay motivated because it's just us against huge money and power. And there are so many issues we keep losing ground on. We just have to keep trying and stay visible.

[WilliamPitt]

5. K&R

Old friend.

:hug:

[rbnyc]

8. Love you Will (nt)

[Odin2005]

6. Google "Regulatory Capture". The regulators work for them, not us.

[rbnyc]

7. Truly!

"In economics, regulatory capture occurs when a state regulatory agency created to act in the public interest instead advances the commercial or special interests that dominate the industry or sector it is charged with regulating. Regulatory capture is a form of government failure, as it can act as an encouragement for large firms to produce negative externalities. The agencies are called Captured Agencies."

[patrice]

9. K&R

[rbnyc]

11. TY (nt)

[Kurovski]

12. Kick. (nt)

[rbnyc]

13. much appreciation (nt)

[Kurovski]

14. Likewise. (nt)

[Kurovski]

15. Is it really possible to stop a merger at this point?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x245777

[rbnyc]

16. Probably not...

...but that doesn't mean we can't stop it from getting worse and work toward some kind of eventual break-up of this massive consolidation. I don't think we should just throw our hands up on media reform or any other issue we're taking a pounding on.

[Kurovski]

17. Agreed. (nt)

[rbnyc]

18. I just wish I had...

...huge resources and a really great plan.

[Kurovski]

19. A resource like DU?

:D

Look! 13 votes!

[Crystal Clarity]

20. Bummer. Too late to rec.

But great point, great post. Thanks.