No to media monopolies

The unlikely heroes of the U.S. Senate foiled General Electric, AOL Time Warner and Clear Channel's plans for media domination this week.\nAt least for now.\nThe Senate voted down a Federal Communications Commission action that would allow corporate juggernauts to engage in cross-ownership of media. The general consensus among those in Washington is that, given the opportunity, George W. Bush will veto the Senate's decision. If G-Dub were to successfully veto the decision and pass the FCC regulation, it would loosen the restrictions on media ownership and allow one company to own television stations, radio stations and newspapers all in the same town.\nAccording to the Motley Fool, this vertical integration would make it possible for a corporation like AOL Time Warner to utilize the same content across a variety of local outlets, thereby creating a much narrower spectrum of opinions, news and information within a given region. \nBut who's to say this activity isn't already going on?\nABC and the New York Times plan on briefly teaming up for the next American election to provide better coverage. We see a partnership like this as worthwhile because it is not permanent and is only used to provide better coverage of a specific event.\nBut other corporations have bigger plans.\nClear Channel Communications is buying up radio stations all over the country while also gaining majority control over concert venues. They allow an artist like Kelly Clarkson to dominate the airwaves and then cash in on her tour (which they book) when it arrives at their venue.\nAnd you wonder why music on the radio sucks.\nDeregulation would allow Clear Channel to own newspapers and television stations, adding their lengthy list of means to achieve an ultimate financial end.\nSo what will happen when even more media outlets are taken over? Will we see less diversity in our news and more of the same opinions? We've seen what deregulation has done to radio, making a drab wasteland of unoriginality. It's clearly become a business rather than a forum of artistic expression.\nThis same fate is inevitable for any other newspaper, television station, record company, etc. that would be gobbled up by a major corporation through a looser regulation of media ownership.\nOur media needs to have the ability to cover a wide range of topics and opinions appealing to many different demographics. Consolidating the media ownership will consolidate the assortment of diversity, putting capitalism before journalistic integrity and the general public interest.\nThis consolidation would also slowly eliminate competition, which is fundamentally necessary to produce a better product. Whether it is a newspaper, CD or television show, competition pushes a media outlet to seek out the better stories, write better music and create better TV shows.\nWe commend the U.S. Senate on its decision. If these companies are allowed to snowball into giant juggernauts, the security of our information may well be at stake.