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TV Creators Ask for Fed Merger Study
Randy
Master Storyteller
in Zocalo v2.0
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 11, 2002; 7:00 AM
LOS ANGELES –– Members of the television industry, expressing concern about the impact of media consolidation on programming quality and diversity, has asked for a federal study of the issue.
In a letter to FCC chairman Michael K. Powell, TV creators called popular culture among "our great national treasures" and one that is under assault.
"The harm comes about as a direct result of the growing concentration of ownership. The consequences of this new factor in our industry are – and this is no exaggeration – potentially catastrophic," the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors said in its June 7 letter.
While new technology has increased the number of radio and TV channels available "there has also been an alarming increase in the number of corporate entities which own and control these systems," the caucus wrote.
"We believe the FCC needs to consider these implications and the results deregulation has had upon the public interest," the letter said.
A call seeking comment from the Federal Communications Commission was not immediately returned Monday.
The approximately 150-member caucus bills itself as the "creative conscience" of the TV industry and the only group to represent the writers, directors and producers guilds.
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On the Net:
[url="http://www.caucus.org"]http://www.caucus.org[/url]
[url="http://www.fcc.gov"]http://www.fcc.gov[/url]
© 2002 The Associated Press
Now if someone would just do the same thing for the interactive entertainment industry.
~r.
Tuesday, June 11, 2002; 7:00 AM
LOS ANGELES –– Members of the television industry, expressing concern about the impact of media consolidation on programming quality and diversity, has asked for a federal study of the issue.
In a letter to FCC chairman Michael K. Powell, TV creators called popular culture among "our great national treasures" and one that is under assault.
"The harm comes about as a direct result of the growing concentration of ownership. The consequences of this new factor in our industry are – and this is no exaggeration – potentially catastrophic," the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors said in its June 7 letter.
While new technology has increased the number of radio and TV channels available "there has also been an alarming increase in the number of corporate entities which own and control these systems," the caucus wrote.
"We believe the FCC needs to consider these implications and the results deregulation has had upon the public interest," the letter said.
A call seeking comment from the Federal Communications Commission was not immediately returned Monday.
The approximately 150-member caucus bills itself as the "creative conscience" of the TV industry and the only group to represent the writers, directors and producers guilds.
–––
On the Net:
[url="http://www.caucus.org"]http://www.caucus.org[/url]
[url="http://www.fcc.gov"]http://www.fcc.gov[/url]
© 2002 The Associated Press
Now if someone would just do the same thing for the interactive entertainment industry.
~r.
Comments
Are there any controls on companies that want to merge in the US? In NZ they have to get approval from the Commerce Commission before they can merge, or before one can buy out the other. The CC is [i]supposed[/i] to make sure that the result won't be someone getting a monopoly or something like that. It doesn't always work though.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
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AnlaShok, Captain of the Gray Hand of Fate Squadron
Sidhe-1
Wielder of the Big Heavy Hammer of Obvious Truth
"FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!"
[b]Yeah, we theoretically have such regulations, but with pResident Coked-up Fratboy in the White House as corporate-friendly as he is, look for more monopolistic conglomerates in our future. Oh, well, it's what got grandpoppy his fortune, along with some nazi collaboration....
[/b][/quote]
I worry about you. You should learn how to express youself - you know, realy get it off your chest. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
He's right though. Corporation friendly presidents are not a good idea. I think that big conglomerates in general are a bad idea. They don't care at all for what the common person wants, all they care about is making money.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
"Corporation friendly presidents are not a good idea."
I wonder: Can you imagine getting a non-corporation-friendly president within this system? I doubt it!
To get back on track (topic): Conglomeration of media is (also) a sign of getting media under control. While that has its reasons in aiming at political influence, culture is influenced by that, too. You can/could see that in every type of media... newspapers, radio, cinema, music, tv, computer games, even the internet.
Interestingly enough, most really sensational media achievements are produced by young comitted companies... which than sooner or later get bought or slashed. No coincidence, that's for sure.
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We are one. No matter the blood, no matter the skin, no matter the world, no matter the star. .. We are one.
No matter the pain, no matter the darkness, no matter the loss, no matter the fear. .. We are one.
- Alliance Preamble to the Declaration of Principles, The Paragon of Animals
Webmaster [url="http://www.Sprungtor.de"]www.Sprungtor.de[/url]
[b](Sorry, if I am getting off topic with that.)
"Corporation friendly presidents are not a good idea."
I wonder: Can you imagine getting a non-corporation-friendly president within this system? I doubt it!
[/b][/quote]
The reason why most canidates have to depend on corporate donations is because they have no original ideas, and they lack a strong character. Most of our politicians are not leaders, they are not people the general population will follow. Traditional leaders command attention, and they make their voice heard. Therfore money is not an issue for them, because the people already know them.
And they can raise more money buy reciving contributions from the general population. A canidate reciving $10 from 5 million people(only a small percentage of the population) can raise 50 milion dollars, more than enough to compete with any corporate canidate.
Our current politicians depend on large amounts of money to basicly buy their way into our homes through tv, newspapers, and radio. Because they can buy adds we notice them, and so the media covers them, and they are ligitimate. We didn't elect Bush, or most of the last Presidents because we thought they were leaders, we elected them because there were no leaders to run against them.
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We Live as one, We die as one, We will face the darkness as one.
"Understanding is a Three Edged Sword- Your side, Their side, And the Truth...."
[quote]Originally posted by Language of Hope:
[b]To get back on track (topic): Conglomeration of media is (also) a sign of getting media under control. While that has its reasons in aiming at political influence, culture is influenced by that, too. You can/could see that in every type of media... newspapers, radio, cinema, music, tv, computer games, even the internet.
Interestingly enough, most really sensational media achievements are produced by young comitted companies... which than sooner or later get bought or slashed. No coincidence, that's for sure.[/b][/quote]
That's very true. If all the media is owned by two companies with too much money, they can practically make the news.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
EXone: Although I partially agree with you I would like to point out that strength of a leader is not necessarily a factor. Just look at Ralph Nader.
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[url="http://www.zmag.org"][i]Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.[/i][/url]
"Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a life time. But teach a man to BE a fish, and he can eat himself."
--Dennis Miller, Dennis Miller Live
[b]Biggles: Mainstream media currently is pro-corporate IMO.[/b][/quote]
Definitely. They get sponsored by corporations.
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[b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
"Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
The "liberal media" does not exist. Period. AP even reports events that have not yet happened if told to do so by the administration. Transcripts of our "president's" speeches are altered to fit the script instead of what he really said, helping him to sound less incoherent.
JMS warned us of the harm Dubya would do if he got near the White House. He was right.
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AnlaShok, Captain of the Gray Hand of Fate Squadron
Sidhe-1
Wielder of the Big Heavy Hammer of Obvious Truth
"FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!"