On the heels of last month's commentary about CAN TV, I attended the CAN TV 40th annversary gala, which I report on in this month's newsletter: A Report from the CAN TV 40th Anniversary Gala.

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This year marks the 40th anniversary of CAN TV, the fleet of Chicago's public access cable television channels. CMA has supported CAN TV, and CAN TV has supported CMA. I discuss the network and experiences over the years, among other topics, in CAN TV: Past, present, future?

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A previous Chicago Media Action newsletter essay led to another essay published as an op-ed, and then commentary came and then I wrote an essay as a response to some of that commentary. I relate the whole story in this month's feature essay, "Is a broadcast license revocation a form of censorship?".

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In addition to this month's Chicago Media Action newsletter, I have two announcements of note:

1. On the heels of last month's post about broadcast license challenges, we now have a dispatch published on the website of Project Censored on the same topic. Check it out.
   
   
2. The U.S. government's Federal Trade Commission is taking public comment on future policies regarding corporate antitrust. This can matter because the Biden administration has appointed FTC commissioners who have a history and interest in cracking down on corporate mergers. I already posted a comment, and I also shared a Chicago Media Action research project from 2010 to the docket. You can also see related commentary on my personal website for more inspiration, along with this excellent commentary by anti-monopoly activist Matt Stoller.
   
   We have a rare opportunity to shape policy on corporate mergers, antitrust, and big business -- whether or not they're media related. And this is definitely media-related: Many big media mergers require FTC approval, in addition to FCC approval. You have until September 18, 2023, to respond. Go to this page on the regulations.gov website, click the blue "Comment" button on the upper-left of the page, and add in your comments on corporate mergers, antitrust, and big business.

Thank you. Now, on with our feature essay, The First Domino, about an inspiring victory that took place twenty years ago this weekend.

I had been meaning for a long time to revisit the topic of broadcast license challenges, and a new challenge which just dropped made for an excellent opportunity to delve into the topic. You can read more in Reflections on broadcast license challenges, past and present.

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Bobby Rush -- Black Panther Party co-founder, Chicago alderman, and decades-long Congressional representative -- stepped down this year after a long career in politics. Chicago Media Action had a number of interactions with Bobby Rush and his staff, some good, some less so. You can read more in this month's post, Reflections on Bobby Rush.

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Twenty years ago to the day of this post, the Federal Communications Commission voted to squelch its remaining media ownership rules, marking a sea change in media, the FCC, and the public. I talk about it in It's been 20 years since the FCC's horrid media ownership rule rewrite.

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We recently saw the end of an unsuccessful effort to put the longtime media and policy activist Gigi Sohn on the Federal Communications Commission. I talk about her, the campaign to squelch her nomination, and some possible next steps in Viva Gigi Sohn!

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Two very impactful events on my life happened twenty years ago on this date -- one family-connected, one media-policy connected. I talk about them both in April 2, 2003: My Uncle and the Midwest Forum on Media Ownership.

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My friend and fellow media activist Jen Angel died last month. I recount the tragedy of her passing, and a subsequent tragedy of the corporate media coverage of her passing, in an article here.

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We're in the month of quadrennial Chicago municipal elections (my ballot came in the mail today). Read more about Thoughts on media, democracy, and the 2023 Chicago municipal elections

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We once again go down memory lane in the midst of an announcement of the "resignation" of the longest serving alderman in Chicago history. Please enjoy Some thoughts on Edward Burke, CAN TV, and Chicago Media Action

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Since I "resurrected" the CMA website on the second of last month (marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of what became CMA), I figured I would settle on a cadence of posting new commentaries on the second of the month.

Here is this month's commentary -- about yet another outrage from the Supreme Court, which you probably haven't heard about.