media consolidation

AFTRA Members Call for Limits on Big Media

Four Pittsburgh AFTRAns and one from Philadelphia trekked to Harrisburg on Feb. 23 to testify at a special public hearing called by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency is again considering loosening its restrictions on media ownership and TV-Newspaper cross ownership.

“We went to tell the FCC how ownership consolidation of media has hurt jobs and communities,” said Local Board member and past president Alan Boal. “I was a victim of the first round of consolidation in 1996.”  Boal worked at WTAE Radio prior to its acquisition by CAP Cities Communications, who later spun off the FM and AM to new owners.



          
                     AFTRA member Alan Boal testifies to the devastating effects of media consolidation 
                  before FCC Commissioners Michael J. Copps and Jonathan Adelstein in Harrisburg, PA.


“Our public officials should intervene when companies merge and jobs are lost,” testified Board member David Flick, “especially because we, the public, own the air waves. Big media practically gets free access.”

Chris Lacey, Pittsburgh Freelance Staff, related that “The fate of the fourth estate is at stake.” He recounted that AFTRA news reporters and anchors decried the ever-increasing “dumbing down” of news that results from media consolidation, with pressure to re-cycle and re-use material, rather than look for new and relevant stories to report. “Fewer competitive sources result in an erosion of the free flow of information.”

The Harrisburg hearing continued the efforts of AFTRA members and others to document to the FCC that the consolidation of media ownership by giant corporations eliminates diverse and local sources of news, music and entertainment programming. Previous FCC public hearings were conducted in Los Angeles and Nashville.