AFTRA Members Speak Out at FCC Hearings on Media Ownership

 LOS ANGELES (Oct. 3, 2006) – Members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists turned out in two Southern California locations to tell the Federal Communications Commission that the consolidation of media ownership by giant corporations eliminates diverse and local sources of news, music, and entertainment programming.

“Consolidation affects all AFTRA members, whether they are local or network newspersons, actors in television programs or commercials, or recording artists as royalty artists or background singers,” AFTRA National President John P. Connolly said in testimony as a member of the Creative Community / Independent Programming Panel at the FCC public hearing this afternoon. Click here to read President Connolly’s written testimony>>

The FCC met in Los Angeles to hear comments to help guide its review of regulations governing how many television stations, radio stations, broadcast networks, and newspapers can be owned by any single company. Two years ago, the federal courts rescinded sweeping changes proposed by the FCC that would have substantially loosened media ownership rules.

More than 30 AFTRA members joined about 500 media and entertainment industry workers and community members at the FCC hearing conducted at the USC Davidson Conference—and about 15 AFTRA members attended the evening hearing at El Segundo High School.

In addition to remarks by Connolly, a dozen other AFTRA members provided FCC commissioners with first-hand experience of the devastating effects of media consolidation:

• Popular singer and recording artist Dan Navarro explained how his “livelihood began to disappear” in the ‘90s once media ownership rules were relaxed.

• Actor JR Starr pointed out to the FCC that the merger of UPN and WB into the single network The CW reduced the number of shows featuring minority casts from 17 to 2.

• Independent recording artist Christy Crowl documented the difficulties of getting radio airplay for her music when playlists are determined by corporate executives rather than local
program directors.

• Actor Karla with a K said that media consolidation left her “an out of work broadcaster.”

• Longtime KCET-TV announcer Bernie Alan told the FCC how the radio employment market has changed since ownership regulations have allowed one company to own up to eight stations in a market.

• Actor Matt Kimbrough implored the FCC to not loosen media ownership rules.

• Longtime broadcaster and consumer advocate David Horowitz explained how the decline in active consumer reporting over the past six years since ownership rules were relaxed is allowing more people to be ripped off by businesses and scams.

• LA radio veteran Mike Sakellarides gave current details of the Los Angeles radio market.

• Announcer John Harlan contrasted the employment situation now with his experiences since the 1940s.

• Singers Susan Boyd Joyce, Melissa Mackay, and Shelby Flint each offered examples from other AFTRA members of the effects of media consolidation.

To listen to the hearings on Real Audio, click here for the afternoon session at USC http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/mt100306a.ram and here for the evening session in El Segundo http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/mt100306b.ram.