CHICAGO MEDIA ACTION NEWSLETTER: December 2, 2007
http://www.chicagomediaaction.org

In this month's newsletter...

* Join a Singalong Protest at Tribune Tower re: media ownership,
Friday, December 7th at 5PM
* Action: Encourage quality radio at the new Chicago WAIT-FM
* CMA kicks off a new series at the New World Resource Ctr. 12/13 at 7PM
* Chicago's NBC affiliate, WMAQ-TV, is fined
* FCC allows TV-newspaper duopoly in Chicago in perpetuity


(1) UPCOMING EVENTS AND SUGGESTED ACTIONS

* To highlight awareness of the FCC's controversial media ownership
rewrite, which would worsen media in Chicago and nationwide, CMA
announces the 2007 Chicago Media Action Holiday Singalong at the Tribune
Tower.  Raise awareness with a series of festive politics-and-media
themed Christmas Carols.

The Singalong will be held on Friday, December 7, from 5pm to 6:30pm
outside the Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago (435 N. Michigan Avenue).
A flyer of the event is online here:

http://www.chicagomediaaction.org/pdffiles/cma_flyer_2007-12-07.pdf

http://themediastructurefailed.zoomshare.com/files/grinchcomposite.jpg

The deadline to comment on the FCC's media ownership docket is Tuesday,
December 11.  If you haven't already done so, do so today:

http://www.stopbigmedia.com/comment.php

* Chicago's Air America affiliate, WCPT-AM 850, has moved to the 820 AM
frequency.  Chicago Media Action has learned from the current resident
of the 850 frequency, WAIT-FM, that WAIT's format and future programming
plans have yet to be decided.  Newsweb Corp. owns WCPT-AM and WAIT-AM.

TAKE ACTION: Chicago Media Action urges you to contact WAIT at
773-792-1121 and let them know you support diverse and progressive radio
programming, like those of such radio shows as "Democracy Now!", This is
Hell (WNUR-FM), The Eighth Day (WLUW-FM), Labor Express (WLUW-FM),
Homofrequencia (WRTE-FM), and News From The Service Entrance (WHPK-FM),
and the profusion other worthy efforts by talented and committed people
space limitations do not permit us to list.

* On Thursday, December 13th at 7PM, Chicago Media Action will be
featured in the New World Resource Center's new series "We Are Many:
Inquiries into Chicago Activism."  The series aims to showcase the
unique voices of Chicago activism to develop stronger bonds between our
progressive community and Chicago at large. The event features CMA
organizers Scott Sanders and Mitchell Szczepanczyk.

The New World Resource Center is located at 1300 N. Western Avenue
(Western and Potomac).  Call 773-227-4011 or visit:

http://www.newworldresourcecenter.com/index1/events.html

* We encourage you to support the Media Ownership Act of 2007 (S. 2332),
to help block further attempts at media concentration:

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=bPMCs9lg0-A

General Info: http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog/?p=147

Bill info: http://www.freepress.net/congress/billinfo.php?id=198

Take action: http://action.freepress.net/campaign/ownership


(2) WHAT'S NEW IN MEDIA POLITICS?

* In a late-breaking development: On November 30, 2007, the FCC granted
the Tribune Company the necessary waivers to maintain otherwise-illegal
TV-newspaper duopolies in five cities nationwide.  The grant also grants
Tribune a cross-ownership duopoly in Chicago indefinitely.  Read more:

http://www.hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-278619A1.pdf

http://themediastructurefailed.zoomshare.com/files/martin-monopoly.mov

* Chicago's main NBC-TV affiliate, WMAQ-TV, has been fined $10,000 by
the FCC Fine over rules involving children's television programming:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6504782.html?rssid=193&

* Last spring, determined Illinois citizens and activist groups fought
successfully against AT&T's well-funded lobbyists and achieved one of
the better telecommunications bills in the U.S.

But Illinois is surrounded by states that have tossed public,
educational, and government access cable TV and consumer rights into the
meat grinder.

Strong national legislation and FCC action can remedy much of this
devastation in the long term.  But meanwhile, learn more to join efforts
in nearby states:

Wisconsin:
http://www.saveaccesswisconsin.org/
http://www.freepress.net/statetracker/=WI

Indiana:
http://tinyurl.com/yvdj5x
http://tinyurl.com/3chlyf
http://www.freepress.net/statetracker/=IN

Michigan:
http://www.freepress.net/statetracker/=MI

Missouri:
http://www.freepress.net/statetracker/=MO


(3) MEDIA RESEARCH

* A new study has been released -- "Out of The Picture 2007: Minority
& Female TV Station Ownership in the United States - Current Status,
Comparative Statistical Analysis & the Effects of FCC Policy and Media
Consolidation."

http://www.freepress.net/docs/otp2007.pdf

* Likewise, The Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism has also
released a study: "Journalists in Iraq - A Survey of Reporters on the
Front Lines."

http://www.journalism.org/node/8621

http://tinyurl.com/28r3sy

Happy Holidays Everybody!!!

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***


This is an email from Chicago Media Action, a Chicago activist
group devoted to media issues.

This newsletter is edited by Scott Sanders and Mitchell Szczepanczyk.

Chicago Media Action, P.O. Box 14140, Chicago IL 60614-0140
Call toll-free: 1-866-260-7198
Web: http://www.chicagomediaaction.org
E-mail: cma@chicagomediaaction.org