Rep. Maxine Waters to Federal Communications Commission: Do Not Lock Minorities Out of Media Ownership

Rep. Maxine Waters to Federal Communications Commission: Do Not Lock Minorities Out of Media Ownership

Today, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (CA-35) delivered the following statement at the Rainbow/Push Public Policy Forum on "Minority Ownership, Policy Content and Congress." The event was designed to educate the public about upcoming Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hearings that will explore the possibility of relaxing rules which currently prohibit large media conglomerates from moving into other areas by purchasing new companies. For example, the current rule does not allow a large international television corporation to purchase newspaper and radio companies. The consolidation would limit the possibility of minorities to own their own companies and severely restrict the number of different voices, perspectives and information received by the public:

Congresswoman Maxine Waters
"Media Ownership, Policy Content, and Congress"
September 25, 2006

I commend and applaud my friend - the Reverend Jesse Jackson, for the work that he has done and that Rainbow PUSH continues to do to protect the voice and rights of African Americans and other minorities. We are here today with the understanding that the Federal Communications Commission plans to hold hearings on the issue of media consolidation and will consider relaxing the rules of cross-ownership even after the Third Circuit Court of Appeals warned the Commission that it has been ignoring the issue of female and minority ownership.

When the Commission issued rules back in 2003, the Court saw through the arguments that the internet was a substitute in local markets for newspapers and broadcast stations and ordered the Commission to revisit cross-ownership.

As a result, this time around, the public must rely on the FCC to issue regulations
that are fair and that truly consider the impacts on minority communities. We must show the Commission that the disparities exist. We must show the Commission that availability does not equate to access.

Los Angeles , California, where my district is located, has a 62 percent minority population; yet minorities own only 18.2 percent of the full-power commercial television stations. Nationally, minorities make up 33 percent of the entire U.S.A.; however, we own a mere 3.26 percent of all stations - or 44 total. These kinds of statistics make it clear that the FCC does not yet fully understand the disadvantage that over-concentration of media ownership poses for these communities.

A major part of the reason why the Third Circuit remanded the case to the FCC was because it wanted the FCC to better explain why it relies so heavily on the availability of the internet in justifying relaxed media cross-ownership rules.

Internet service is available nearly everywhere we go. However, a gap exists between access for minorities and access for White counterparts that makes it clear that the internet does not offer enough alternate ways of getting diverse media options.

A study conducted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in 2000 found improved home access for African American and Latino internet users but increased disparity in access compared to White counterparts. It also showed that as income goes up, all demographic groups reach nearly universal access to the internet. However, a gap still remains for African American and Latino households - even at higher income levels ---- a 2002 report showed that this gap exists for broadband service as well.

Localism and diversity are the cornerstones of a democratic media system, and we cannot afford to compromise them in any way. Our democracy requires the free flow of information from a broad range of diverse voices.

Any public policy seeking to protect diversity in the media must recognize the simple fact that ownership matters. Media consolidation has already led to declines in local and minority ownership as well as the homogenization of content in radio and television. Permitting cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations, or allowing further concentration in local television markets, will only worsen the problems we already have.

When the FCC attempted to weaken and remove media ownership limits in 2003, millions of Americans rose up in protest. Congress and the courts ultimately intervened to turn back that misguided regulatory process.

As the FCC begins to collect and analyze what the public has stated on record, it should stand firm with the public against further concentration of media ownership in the hands of the few.

Thank you, friends and colleagues.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca35_waters/PR060925_minoritymedia.html