as i understand it this is not a call for a protest, but a way to draw
attention to this important public meeting and some of the issues that
will likely be ignored.
Begin forwarded message:
> From: <shivaaniATprometheusradio.org>
> Date: Tue Feb 25, 2003 5:27:22 PM US/Eastern
> To: <activistATmail.serve.com>
> Subject: [MediaAct] For Immediate Release
> Reply-To: activistATmediatank.org
>
>
> Prometheus Radio Project
> www.prometheusradio.org
>
> Press Release
> Mad Scientists Will Descend on FCC Hearing in Richmond, VA
> CONTACT: Shivaani Selvaraj 215.727.9620, 267.235.1242 cell
> shivaaniATprometheusradio.org
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> February 25, 2003-RICHMOND, VA
> On February 27th the Federal Communications Commission will hold it’s
> only
> official public hearing on media ownership regulation. Overturning
> these
> rules would dramatically change the media landscape in this country.
>
> Thousands of citizens took time from their busy schedules to
> participate
> in the public comment period on the current media ownership
> proceedings.
> Prometheus volunteer Dharma Dailey, who works in a bookstore in upstate
> New York, took two days off work to review the ownership studies
> commissioned by the FCC. "I was shocked at the scope of the analysis
> used
> to justify changes in our media policy. If Chairman Powell really
> wants a
> rigorous basis to the rules of media policy, how come the only sorts of
> questions that he thinks merit study are economics questions?” she
> said,
> shifting her two year old baby in her lap.
>
> “This might be fine if you are planning a marketing campaign, but these
> studies fall far short of forming the rigorous empirical basis for
> rules
> setting that Powell was talking about. There are so many ways in which
> media and it's ownership affect society, but the studies focused their
> inquiry on economics. What about the possible abuses of power that
> concentration of media ownership creates?”
>
> “We’re worried how even greater concentration of ownership would affect
> democracy and local culture and they’re asking whether Garth Brooks is
> getting played on Contemporary Gospel stations. We’re worried what
> affect
> a change in these rules might have on the general public and the FCC
> only
> surveys TV viewers.”
>
> “There’s also a couple of real stinkers in this bunch. I would not
> want
> to see the sorts of grades that some of these papers would get in a
> Research Methods For The Social Sciences 101 class. The methodological
> problems were many- some studies used whatever data was lying around,
> without regard to how it was collected and for what purpose. But
> mainly,
> I blame the FCC for asking trivial research questions where thoughtful
> social study was necessary.”
>
> "Ordinary citizens have more to say about these issues than Michael
> Powell thinks. We don't have access to the research budgets to do the
> sorts of study that need to be done, but there are plenty of moderately
> educated people like myself without high power jobs or fancy titles who
> can tell junk science when we see it."
>
> “Mad scientists” and citizens will gather for a demonstration
> beginning at
> 9:00 a.m. on February 27 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center,
> 403 N.
> Third Street.
>
> Prometheus Radio Project has played a key role in the struggle to get
> over
> 2000 licenses for community radio stations. Prometheus practices a
> mixture
> of research, advocacy, activism. They also provide direct services to
> organizations that want to start radio stations in compliance with the
> newly won rules for neighborhood radio. For more information contact
> Shivaani Selvaraj shivaaniATprometheusradio.org
>
>
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