FCC Commissioners seek unbiased input ! Yah Right !

Following is a letter published in the Sun Times from two FCC Commissioners seeking comments from the community regarding proposed regulations. They appeared particularly concerned with "a small number of media giants" as well as community/diversity issues. The location of the meeting struck me as interesting. Chi Sun Times Letter to the editor September 20, 2007 Are Chicago's media outlets serving you?

September 20, 2007 The Federal Communications Commission will be in Chicago today to hear whether the city has the kind of media outlets you want and need. It's especially important to us because the FCC will soon decide whether to allow a small number of media giants to buy up the remaining local broadcasters and other media outlets across the land.

Last summer, the FCC launched a review that might severely undercut the few remaining media consolidation protections that exist today. These rules, among other things, limit a single corporation from dominating local TV and radio markets or from merging a community's TV stations, radio stations and newspapers. While a new dialogue is under way, we need more than an inside-Washington discussion between a government agency and a few mega corporations. Let's remember that you own the airwaves, not TV and radio executives. We give broadcasters the right to use these airwaves for free. They usually earn healthy profits using this public resource in exchange for agreeing to broadcast in the public interest.

Are Chicago's residents being well-served by the media served up to them? Are you getting a diversity of viewpoints? Is local talent covered? Are community issues treated sensitively? Are minority groups getting the coverage and input they need? As we enter election season, are stations covering the important issues that confront us, or do they just focus on the horse race and run profitable campaign ads?

Please come tell us what you think. The mike will be open. When it comes to the fate of the people's airwaves, no voices are more important than yours. The FCC meeting will be held from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Operation PUSH National Headquarters, Dr. King's Workshop, 930 E. 50th St.

Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, FCC commissioners

this is my first content posting, hope I didn't screw it up, Grant