FCC Commissioners Town Hall Meeting TODAY @ 5:30pm

We all know how important the media’s role is for the advancement of the 9/11 Truth movement (as well as most progressive movements.) We know that their failure in doing their job is largely responsible for the cluelessness that plagues our fellow citizens. While advances in and increased accessibility to technology have enabled US/WE/THE PEOPLE to become the media, it is still hugely important to continue to hold mainstream media accountable to the responsibilities entrusted in them.

For this reason, the FCC Commissioners’ visit to Columbus is a very special opportunity that I hope some of you can take advantage of. It’s been promoted on-air on WCBE (NPR) like crazy so there should be a great turnout. If you’re not very familiar with the FCC, I recommend this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission

Town Meeting on the Future of Media

Federal Communications Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein, Michael Copps and Robert McDowell will attend the Town Meeting on the Future of the Media in Columbus on Wednesday, March 7.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 7, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Broad Street Presbyterian Church, 760 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio
WHO: FCC Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein, Michael Copps and Robert McDowell, local leaders and media representatives, concerned citizens.

The Town Meeting on the Future of the Media brings to Ohio FCC Commissioners from both sides of the aisle to hear local public input on media ownership rules — a rare opportunity outside of the six official hearings promised by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.

The Columbus event, which is free and open to the public, is being sponsored by Free Press, Consumers Union, Common Cause Ohio, United Church of Christ Office of Communications, Inc., Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council, Ohio PIRG, Ohio Citizen Action, OK-Alliance, the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter of the Alliance for Community Media, Mid-Atlantic Community Papers Association, and Media Bridges.

The Columbus forum will feature panel discussions on how media concentration affects local communities. Presenters scheduled to testify before the commissioners include Catherine Turcer, legislative director, Ohio Citizen Action; Alvin Hadley, executive director, Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council; Rev. Bob Chase, executive director, United Church of Christ Office of Communications, Inc.; Ann Walker, former host, WVKO-AM; and Gilbert Price, senior editor, Call and Post.

“Diversity in our local media must be of utmost importance to the FCC while looking at revising the ownership rules,” said panelist Alvin Hadley. “Minority ownership of local television and radio stations has disappeared from the radar in the past decade. The changes put forward in 2003 only would have aggravated the problem, making it more difficult for women and people of color to own local media outlets. The FCC has both the power, and a mandate from Congress, to implement smart policy to encourage local minority ownership across the country.”

The free forum will include an open microphone session for the public to offer testimony on media issues to Commissioners Adelstein, Copps and McDowell. All testimony will be recorded and submitted to the FCC and Ohio’s elected officials.

“Democracy functions best when we have good information from diverse sources and interests,” said Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action. “When we all drink from the same well, the source can run dry.”

FCC Commissioners Adelstein, Copps and McDowell will be available for a limited number of interviews in advance of the event. To schedule an interview with the commissioners, media policy experts or local citizens concerned about media consolidation, please contact Jen Howard of Free Press at 202-265-1490, x 22.

For more information on the Town Meeting on the Future of Media, please visit: http://www.freepress.net/future/=columbus or http://commoncause.org/futureofohiomedia.