Another of my bugaboos is the consolidation of the media in this country. It's far too concentrated for the good of the 'public'. I live in LA. All three network 'affiliates' in the market are not affiliates, but network owned and operated. At least one of them owns, and cross programs (mostly news) with a former independent channel. (On the plus side, since Orange County and L.A. are a combined broadcast market, we have four PBS channels!) One of the non-network stations is owned by Tribune Company, so it's a side marketer for the only major daily newspaper in town (both, of course, owned by a faceless out of town corporation.) We have the usual collection of Clear Channel radio stations, with a few local O&O stations. But the overall view is one of corporate control by a bare handful of corporations. No wonder the quality of reportage, particularly, hard hitting investigative reportage, has dwindled.
jamess at dailyKos has a post today on MORA, H.R. Bill 109-3302. the Media Ownership Reform Act. Let your Reps and Senators know you support this bill. It doesn't go far enough for me (I'd go back to the old rules of one tv station/paper/radio station, and prevent existing entities from buying other ones in the same market... and limit cross ownership of broadcast, cable, and satellite interests), but it's probably as good as we're going to get till Rupert Murdoch actually transforms into the Jonathon Price version of Murdoch from the Bond flick "Die Another Day" and starts a war with China.
Oh yeah, bring back Judge Green and break up Ma Ball (now SBC) again! :)
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