Issue Position: Technology & Telecommunications - Media Consolidation

Issue Position

Americans must have access to unfiltered information about their government, as well as powerful nongovernmental entities, in order to properly exercise their responsibilities as citizens. We cannot have a government "of the people" if the people are kept in the dark.

Having a truly informed public requires media diversity. Simply put, the American public must be able to access news and entertainment from a variety of sources. That is why efforts by the FCC in 2003 and 2004 to allow consolidation of media ownership into the hands of a few large conglomerates were met with stiff opposition from millions of Americans, as well as from advocacy groups including Consumers Union, the National Rifle Association, the National Council of Churches, and the Leadership Council on Civil Rights. The FCC recently announced its desire to revisit this issue. Following this announcement I sent a letter to FCC Chairman Martin expressing my concerns about any changes, and urging him to ensure that before any proposed changes are acted on that there will be an adequate opportunity for public comment and debate.

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