o/~ Michael Powell is coming to town... o/~

Posted by Mitchell - June 5, 2003 (entry 49)

It's official. FCC Chair Michael Powell, who on Monday June 2 assured himself a special place in hell, will be the keynote speaker at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association show, to be held in Chicago. And CMA will be there too. We encourage you to join us:

Tuesday, June 10, 8:30AM, McCormick Place (2300 S. King Drive) (accessible by the Metra Electric Line or the #4 Cottage Grove bus)

There's a flyer here for download. Print and copy and post.

Update: Here is the formal press release of the protest.

For Immediate Release
June 6, 2003

Contact: Karen Young
773-404-8258 karen.young@rcn.com

Chicago Media Action
Mitchell Szczepanczyk, President
cma@chicagomediaaction.org

Protest Planned for FCC Chairman Michael Powell's Appearance at NCTA June 10; Chicago Activists Call for Pressure on Congress to Overturn FCC Decision

Chicago media activists will gather at McCormick Place, 2300 S. King Drive, at 9AM Tuesday, June 10, as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell gives the keynote address at the National Cable and Telecommunications Show (NCTA). They plan to protest Powell's decision on June 2 to weaken restrictions on media ownership, giving more control of the nation's media outlets to a handful of giant companies. Powell ignored a massive outpouring of opposition from the public and in Congress, in leading the FCC to a 3-2 decision along party lines. Elected officials and FCC personnel have received millions of dollars in contributions from the companies whose activities they are supposed to regulate in the public interest.

Opposition to the rule changes continues to grow in Congress. 19 Senators, including Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and 6 Republicans, have signed on to one bill in the Senate, which will be considered in the Commerce Committee on June 19, and members of both houses are exploring a "legislative veto" of the FCC ruling that would restore the previous rules.

Karen Young of Chicago Media Action said, "This battle is far from over. Many people are just now waking up to the fact that allowing these giant companies to control all the media is bad for democracy and bad for our country. We want to remind Chairman Powell and the FCC that their mandate is to regulate media in the public interest, and to protect diversity of views, localism and competition. We urge people to contact their Congressional representatives today and urge them to use the power they have to roll back this decision."

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