Washington, D.C., February 3, 2003. Compelling evidence documents unacceptable harm to freedom of expression, quality, and creativity in television, the Center for the Creative Community told the Federal Communications Commission today in comments filed in its biennial review of its media ownership rules.
"Based on this evidence – including evidence in the FCC’s own studies -- the public interest requires the Commission to not only retain its media ownership rules, but also end the networks’ monopolization of television program production," says Jonathan Rintels, Executive Director of the Center for the Creative Community. "A growing chorus of Americans, from across the political spectrum, are calling on the FCC to restore competition and diversity of voices to television, before further harm is done to our nation’s democracy, culture, and economy."
A small portion of the evidence submitted to the FCC: Five conglomerates (AOL Time Warner, Viacom, NBC, Disney, and News Corp./Fox) both produce and distribute the programming seen by the vast majority of Americans on broadcast and cable. Of the 40 new series airing on the four major broadcast networks in the 2002 season, 77.5 percent are owned in whole or part by those networks, up from 56.3 percent the prior season – an increase of over 37 percent in just one year."
CCVM Files Reply Comments in FCC Media Ownership Proceeding - PR
