Tomorrow, the FCC will be voting on whether or not to remove existing regulations stating that a single company is not allowed to own a monopoly on media in a city. Currently, a company is not allowed to own the newspaper if they own a TV station or vice-versa.

This is in place so that a single influence cannot dominate the popular forum. Well...guess what? It is predicted, three to two vote, that they are going to remove these regulations.

How will this effect me? Well, I come from a small city named Bethlehem. Not the biblical one, the one on the Lehigh River. There was a huge corporation here at one time named Bethlehem Steel. During their heyday they were the second largest producer of steel in the nation behind U.S Steel. This company could, if they vote to remove the regulations, buy the local newspaper, the local news channel, and then the local radio stations. At that point it would become highly unlikely that they would run a story concerning how they are dumping toxic chemicals into the Lehigh River. There are many more examples of the power this could give corporations and the rich.

Oh, I forgot one thing. The chairman of the FCC and the driving force behind this bill is Colin Powell's son, Micheal Powell. Appointed by George Bush Jr.

This all makes my nose hurt.

This is a immense democratic issue. Lack of diversity in the media is a direct threat to democracy. Especially in society as it stands today with corparations merging more and more to create even larger corporations so not even the voice of a wide variety of corporations will be heard but the voice of just a few. Not to mention that corporations in general has a pretty similar view on politics and any view that does not agree with that will never get its voice heard.

Television has always been controlled by a small group of company’s, and to be honest it’s even like that right now. So as far as to let them own some TV, or radio, station may, or may, not make a difference; in our freedoms one way or the other.

That IMO is terrible. Monopolising (sp?) of any sort should never be allowed. I'd be really suprised if they remove the regulations. I can't understand why anyone, with the exceptions of the owners of bug companies, would want this to happen. It just doesn't make sence why people would vote to become ignorant.

Where Did you come aross this the news article or TV news? This is going to effect me, I would assume since im right outside NYC.

On a side note, I live in Northwest Indiana ... where Bethlehem Steel is now going bankrupt and not paying taxes, so the schools are already hurting because of them. Big business like that, whether they own the schools and media, already exhibit incredible influence on these things.

On the FCC thing, I don't know enough to speak to it.,

I fully believe that monopolies need to be broken up, as they are anathema to the concept of competition between opposites that should keep prices down. That said, it also seems kind of strange to me that if a company works hard (and legally) to become the best, and drives the opposition out of business, then they are penalized for having played the capitalist game too well -- it's like being penalized for winning!

But that's not really the point here, is it? There should be some way to ensure that the news that people receive isn't controlled by one source. Too bad this FCC thing is probably going to happen.

Well they passed it three to two along party lines. Despite over a million e-mails and numerous other "grassroots" complaints, they passed the new "un"-resolution. The system is so *ucked.

About finding the article...surprisingly enough...now that it has passed they are running stories about it. Check out MSNBC.com. Before the resolution, media companies "admitted" (Fox News Channel) that they were not running stories on it because get this...it helps media companies. Surprise, surprise. I first heard about it on college radio stations.


@Mathetias Yeah Bethlehem Steel has given it to us pretty good as well. They backed out of all of their pensions and since this area at one time was about 35% employed by them, MY TAXES NOW PAY FOR THEIR PENSIONS!!! Well, all of Pennsylvania does I believe. The union got so big and so powerful they broke the company (although managment was excedingly greedy as well), they got some of the best pensions ANYWHERE. So good in fact, Bethlehem Steel couldn't pay them. So now we all do. Go Democracy!

Lol, that FCC thing was actually in my newspaper approx. 4 days ago, inclusive picture of Powell junior. The article stated, that there actually hearings were demanded and many people wrote (lack of English vocubalary) "legal complaints" which went unanswered. It seems to be in the power of Powell to deny hearings. And my understanding is, that there are two great media-concerns, who will benefit from it, one of them is Murdoch and the other.... can't remember. So, I would be surprised, if Fox-News would have brought the story.

By the way, there's a country which has already expirience with this. Italy, where the big part of TV stations is owned by Silvio Berlusconi, yes, the Prime Minister. Ah, the golden days of the mafia. :D :D

Oh, he's the Prime Minister, in Italy, the Prime Minister has also great influence on the program of the state television, RAI.
:D

The Italian parliament has recently passed a law, which prohibits Swiss-authorities to give Italian authorities requested information concerning some "questionable" dealings of him in the past, for the trial he's actually in right now. Not that it made great waves in the Italian media.

That said, it also seems kind of strange to me that if a company works hard (and legally) to become the best, and drives the opposition out of business, then they are penalized for having played the capitalist game too well -- it's like being penalized for winning!
That's because of the free market. Free market consists out of competition and supply and demand. If there is a monopoly, there is no competition and no longer a need for the supplier to react to demands. Where should the consumer go, if he has no choice ? So, a monopoly kills the need of being productive. So, if the winner takes it all, there's no free market left, it's like Russia. A monopoly on bread leads to bad, worm-infested bread which costs 10£ and you have to wait ten years for toilet paper.

This group of readings shows how the concept of economic efficiency shapes the way economists approach policy decisions concerning monopoly. It shows that the introduction of monopoly into a competitive economy results in economic inefficiency because the monopolist sees the marginal benefit of its actions in a different way than consumers do. Monopoly is inefficient because it prevents an economy from producing the mix of products that have the greatest possible value.

After a short examination of the theory of oligopoly, the readings explain how businesses can price discriminate and why this may eliminate the welfare loss due to monopoly. Finally, there is an examination of two ways--antitrust policy and regulation--that government can try to correct the problem of monopoly, with some of the second thoughts economists have had about these policies.

http://ingrimayne.saintjoe.edu/econ/Monopoly/Overview15mi.html

I am curious, those of you who are so concerned about the media being controlled by a monopoly that may have an agenda: are you as concerned about the fact that education is even more severely controlled by a monopoly that has demonstrated its agenda (absolute dependence)?

I am not sure of the percentage of children who are educated in public schools, but I would bet it is in the high 90’s. These same schools are where the liberal agenda is the only thing taught, and where any conservative ideology is not even acknowledged, and when it is, it is ridiculed. The children are indoctrinated into a belief that the government is there to support them, and that they need this support.

Or is it ok with you that schools are government controlled and liberal, but not ok that media MAY become monopolized (it is not a guaranteed fact they will be!).

The last time I checked the government was run by conservative republicans. Two houses of congress, the supreme court and even a republican president. So, if the government "controls" the schools, why are they so liberal?

I went to three colleges, two public and one private. The public colleges were much more conservative than the one private college that I attended. But maybe it's just a "Texas" thing.

You're right, Chandos, about the fact that the government is conservative, but schools these days seem to be more and more liberal than ever before. The curriculum becomes more and more hostile to time-tested principles every year. A teacher who is religious has to tap dance over a mine field should he wish to keep his job. I'm not saying he should be able to indoctrinate the students, but the pendulum has swung too far the other way.

But, Darkwolf, another monopoly won't make things right.

I am not sure of the percentage of children who are educated in public schools, but I would bet it is in the high 90’s. These same schools are where the liberal agenda is the only thing taught, and where any conservative ideology is not even acknowledged, and when it is, it is ridiculed. That's actually the reason, I would be very imposed to any attempt to somehow support private schools in my country. They were closed down in the 19th century. A truly great achievement of my country. :D :D

The children are indoctrinated into a belief that the government is there to support them, and that they need this support.
Don't know nothing about what is teached at American schools. But I know there are some weird laws in certain states concerning natural scienes.

To indoctrination. It was only good for the economical growth and peace and order, when presbyterian and catholic private schools were closed down.

To public schools. In my country they are, like everything, controlled direct by the people. There is nothing happening inside of a public school, which hasn't the approval of the people. I personally have the impression (or maybe the prejudice) that people who were on private schools are often very narrowminded, maybe because there are sometimes gaps in the learned knowledge, or have some "class" and "elitist" thinking.

The things are in my country, private schools have also a bad reputation, because there are mostly for people, who weren't able to bring the performance, their parents whished they would. So, they are mostly "supporting" weaker students, who can't keep up with the pace in a public school.

Oops, I just realized, I have an elitist thinking, because I went to a public school. :eek:

[ June 03, 2003, 17:44: Message edited by: Yago ]

Lord Depaara -- In fairness, I must admit that it really breaks down by department. For instance, at both public colleges the English departments were very, almost radically, liberal. Whereas some of the other departments tended to be far more conservative. So, I guess it's not as clear-cut as I made it appear in my first post. I not sure how your English department was, but I would say this is true of a great many colleges, private or public.

Guess I should have been more clear, I was speaking of K through 12. By the time you are in college you have already either bought into the indoctrination, or you haven't, it really doesn't matter at that point.

At Darkwolf: May I conclude, that you have been either in a public school from K to 12 years old and they have tried to indoctrinate you, or you have been at a private school, and they warned you of the ongoing indictronation. Or you you have kids, which are in this age and in a public school, and they get indoctrinated now ?

Yago,

None of the above actually fit perfectly, lets just say that intelligence will eventually overcome brainwashing, given that the person has enough time and a reasonable amount of intelligence.

I don't know where you guys are from, but here in Utah the schools are devoutly conservative. But still, it all depends on the teacher. If the teacher is liberal, they are going to teach liberal values and vice versa. Just so happens there are more conservative than liberal teachers here. It is a moot point, now stay on topic about the FCC.

I guess now we just wait and see what happens w/out the regulations. Will advertising cost more, and the expenses be passed on to us the customers?

Well, it's really a little bit off-topic. But maybe worth an own topic ?

Darkwolf, irrc, intelligence is defined as something like the ability to learn and solving problems. So, if one choses so, intelligence can be used to keep the brainwashing.

Information, gained knowledge or own expirience, which would contradict the former brainwashing would pose a problem. Intelligent people, maybe if they chose so or the brainwashing included it to be this way, would use their intelligence to solve the problem, to keep themselve brainwashed and frame the not fitting parts of information so, that it fits.

He, he, I will continue to use songstexts of cheesy songs on this thread, this time one another oldie which was recently covered:



free your mind and the rest will follow
be colorblind, don't be so shallow
before you read me
you gotta learn how to see me

I can't change your mind
you can't Change my color

I love how my local paper...The Morning Call...has handled the story.

They never ran a story prior to the vote. Then when it did they ran an article just stating the facts. Somewhere in the beginning of the article they mentioned how Tribune Corp. was a leading media company and then at the end mentioned how the paper was owned by Tribune. And guess what? For two days afterwards they ran front page articles on how overblown this "big-media" thing was and how it really wasn't going to effect anything.

Now they could of course be telling the truth...but somehow I bet some head muck-ity-muck at Tribune had something to do with those articles.

...But hey lets look at the bright side of media consolidation. Maybe, just maybe, one day if we are really really lucky...we will all be raised on and fed the same intellectual property. Then we can all be alike! Enough with all these problems a heterogeneous population tends to breed like disagreements and friction. They only lead to painful growth, which I am sure, is not worth the pain. Yes I would rather we were all alike and agreeable.

Well, lookie here:

http://www.rr.com/v5/2/news/frame/0,2331,,00.html?108~ap~1~9000_460036

So sometimes the legislature CAN do the right thing, after all! You would have to think that 400-21 is a fairly veto-proof margin.

Off topic but related. I am sure that Bethlehem Steel filed bankrupt last year. I understand Pennsylvania Steel Technologies is the company name now and I understand they are still in pretty serious financial troubles. Fact is a lot of American Steel Companies are in trouble because it costs the steel companies more to make the steel than the selling price their foreign competitors.