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<body class='hmmessage'><DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">After Robert McChesney's talk at the Champaign County ACLU annual meeting, several members asked me about the ACLU's position on broadcast media consolidation. Below is the text of a letter from the national ACLU office on that topic.</DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Esther Patt</DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">ACLU of Champaign County</DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Chapter President</DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">April 1, 2008<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The Honorable Daniel Inouye<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">United States</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"> Senate<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Washington</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">, <st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20510</st1:PostalCode></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The Honorable Ted Stevens<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">United States</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"> Senate<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Washington</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">, <st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20510</st1:PostalCode></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Bold">Re: The ACLU Supports S. J. Res 28, Disapproving of the Rule Submitted<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Bold">by the Federal Communications Commission with Respect to Broadcast<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Bold">Media Ownership<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Dear Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman Stevens,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-partisan organization </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">with over half a million activists and members and 53 affiliates nationwide, we </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">urge you to support S. J. Res 28, disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Communications Commission (FCC) with respect to media broadcast </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ownership. In addition to the ACLU, millions of Americans have come forward </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">over the last few years expressing deep concern that greater media consolidation </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">comes at the expense of diversity of opinion and of media ownership, as the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ability of minorities to enter the marketplace would be further weakened. </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Ultimately, ever increasing consolidation will lead to a less informed citizenry </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">existing in a very homogenous world of news and entertainment.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Specifically, the newly adopted rules on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">permit additional consolidation in the top 20 media markets in this country. In </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">addition, the new rules allow the Commission to grant waivers on a case by case<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">basis even in smaller markets . The new rules ultimately provide an escape </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">hatch from compliance with the underlying rules that would normally prohibit </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">such consolidation in both large and small markets in the first place. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">1<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Currently, six major companies already control most of the media in our </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">country, including the most predominant sites on the internet. Three media </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">giants own all of the cable news networks; Comcast, AOL and Time Warner </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">serve 40% of cable households; and one company alone owns more that 1,200 of this country’s radio stations. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">2 </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Allowing even greater concentration and cross-ownership of media, as the new rules do, would have a profound impact on </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Americans’ access to a wide range of news, information, programming and </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">political commentary. Even so, the new rules presume that further consolidation </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">would be permissible in all of the top 20 markets, but not in all smaller markets.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">3 </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">However, the new waiver process provides for so many vague exceptions to the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">rules, it is unclear where the line would be in any market. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">4<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Despite tremendous advances in telecommunications, including the internet, </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">even the FCC agrees that Americans get most of their information from </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">television, radio and newspapers. For the relatively small percentage of </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Americans who turn to the Internet for their news, television-affiliated websites </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">remain dominant.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">5 </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The mass media therefore provides the information </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Americans need to fully participate in our democratic society.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">In 2003, the FCC voted to change the rules and allow one company to own up to </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">three television stations, the local newspaper, the cable system and up to eight </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">radio stations in one media market. Millions of Americans, including the ACLU,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">spoke out and the courts responded, remanding most of the 2003 revisions to the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">FCC. This left the previous ownership rules, including the previously existing </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership prohibition, radio/television cross-ownership rule and local television ownership rule in effect.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">At the time of the 2003 revisions, the ACLU argued that any rule adopted by the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Commission should permit a factual determination as to whether a particular </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">media combination would adversely affect the diversity of expression and<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">independence of editorial comment, or result in the substantial diminution of </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">competition. Unfortunately, all testimony and comments to that effect were </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ignored by the majority of FCC commissioners.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">In a joint statement issued on February 4, 2008, regarding the new media </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ownership rules, FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">addressed this very issue noting that:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><SPAN> </SPAN>“The most telling---and troubling---aspect of the majority’s<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">analysis is the absence of any discussion of the “twin principles”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">of diversity and competition underlying the cross-ownership<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ban.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">One of the biggest concerns with the 2003 rulemaking was that the FCC had </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">allowed no real public comment on the proposed changes.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">6 </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">At the time, the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ACLU argued that any changes to the rules should be made in the open, with a<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">full and fair opportunity for all interested parties to comment. Unfortunately, </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">that did not occur.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Although the FCC held six hearings across the country during 2006 and 2007, </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">there is extensive evidence that the hearings were mere window-dressing and </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">that many of the comments provided were ignored by the majority of FCC </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Commissioners. A comprehensive analysis of the hearing process on the media </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">ownership rules recently released by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Penn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>’s Institute for Information </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Policy and authored by Jonathan A. Obar and Amit M. Schejter found that:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">“…the FCC consistently hindered public participation; hearing<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">notice was often provided last-minute, the hearings were held at<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">inconvenient times for working people to attend and the structure<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">of the hearings subordinated public comment by providing<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">preferential treatment to experts, stakeholders and dignitaries.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Two hearings actually devoted more time to non-public comment<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">than to public testimony. In addition, a quarter of the members of<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">the public registered to speak left before testifying likely due to<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">the structure and length of the hearings. Of the 732 that did<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">speak, 52.6 percent were against media consolidation and/or<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">deregulation, while only 1.4 percent were in support. The final<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Report & Order reflects the same subordination as hardly any<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">reference is made to public comment from the hearings, even<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">though the hearings themselves are highlighted in the report as a<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">groundbreaking element in the rulemaking process.” </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">7<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">The agency’s indifference to public opinion and to the public interest is </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">unacceptable and this flawed rule should be thrown out on this basis alone. </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">If procedural flaws weren’t enough to warrant the pending resolution, the impact </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">of the rule change certainly is. The massive consolidation that has occurred </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">under pre-December rules already poses a great threat to the First Amendment </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">rights of all Americans, hinders vigorous public debate and limits the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">marketplace of ideas. This principle was summed up quite eloquently by the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Supreme Court in the landmark 1969 case of Red Lion v. FCC:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">"It is the purpose of the First Amendment to preserve an<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">uninhibited marketplace of ideas in which truth will ultimately<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">prevail, rather than to countenance monopolization of that<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">market, whether it be by the Government itself or a private<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">licensee. It is the right of the public to receive suitable access to<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">social, political, esthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">which is crucial here. That right may not constitutionally be<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">abridged either by Congress or by the FCC."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">An informed citizenry is the backbone of any democracy. But where all the </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">media voices speak as one, there is little diversity of opinion and the citizenry is </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">deprived of varying viewpoints. While S. J. Res. 28 will only return us to the<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">pre-December rules, it at least prevents further consolidation, further erosion of </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">minority ownership and diversity, and further narrowing of the spectrum of </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">opinions expressed in the media. We urge you to support S. J. Res 28.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Caroline Fredrickson<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Director<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Michael W. Macleod-Ball<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Chief Legislative/Policy Counsel<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Terri A. Schroeder<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Senior Lobbyist/Senior Policy Advisor<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">1</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">FCC Releases Order on Revision to Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule (02/04/05)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/actions.html<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">2 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Facts on Media in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=2127045<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">3 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">FCC Releases Order on Revision to Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule (02/04/05)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/actions.html </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">(page 10)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">4 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">FCC Releases Order on Revision to Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule (02/04/05)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/actions.html </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">(page 13 and page 31)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">5 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">FCC Releases Order on Revision to Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule (02/04/05)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/actions.html </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">(page 7)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">6 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">See Prometheus Radio Project, et al. v. FCC, No. 03-3388 (3d Cir. Sept. 3, 2004) (“Prometheus<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Rehearing Order”).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 6.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">7 </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Obar, Jonathan A and Schejter, Amit M., "Inclusion or Illusion? An Analysis of the FCC's<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">Public Hearings on Media Ownership 2006-2007" (March 4, 2008). Available at SSRN:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">http://ssrn.com/abstract=1102764</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Times-Roman">)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><o:p> </o:p></P><br /><hr />Going green? <a href='http://green.msn.com/galleries/photos/photos.aspx?gid=164&ocid=T003MSN51N1653A' target='_new'>See the top 12 foods to eat organic.</a></body>
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