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TechnoratiMedia ownership in this country is facing the largest crisis of ownership since the era of William Randolph Hearst's yellow journalism. Rupert Murdoch could possibly acquire the Wall Street Journal and expand his North American empire to include a national TV network, national cable news network and a national paper.
Amid all the hubbub, a more nuanced issue is slipping through the cracks. The airwaves that carry UHF in the 700 MHz range will become vacant as the U.S. transitions to Digital Television in 2009. These airwaves could beam wireless all over the country-through mountains, forests and walls-and the auction is scheduled for next January. On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission will set the rules for the auction. Now is the time to support "open access" provisions in these rules. Without "open access" the U.S. runs the risk of handing over the Internet to corporate interests for at least another generation.
A dawning awareness of the perils of media consolidation has emerged in Congress. Legislation has been introduced challenging media ownership as well as the FCC's devastating 2003 decision that would have expanded corporate control.
In the case of the spectrum auction the choice is clear: allowing third parties access to the network as wholesalers is the only way to break up the oligopoly telecoms hold over the Internet.
AT&T and Verizon want you to believe that "open access" provisions in the auction rules will interfere with the free market. They claim the market, left to its own devices, has produced an abundance of wireless goods and services. But in reality America's Internet infrastructure is ailing.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, we're ranked 15th in the world in terms of broadband access. We're limited to two choices for providers whereas Europeans have dozens. At this late date, telecom objections to "open access" don't add up. The market has favored corporations, not consumers.
Proposed auction rules pay lip service to "open access." True, they would allow unaffiliated devices and services to connect over networks but this neglects the vital issue of wholesale. "Open access" must mean that third parties can access the network as wholesalers to generate real market diversity.
This issue transcends corporate control. Like the auction of a rare diamond, the spectrum is a precious natural resource. Public officials have only got one shot to get the balance right between public and private interests and that means a helping hand to wholesale to generate competition.
Strengthening "open access" provisions can only reinforce innovation. When Apple's iPhone debuted last month many consumers were disappointed because they had to switch to AT&T. The reason: an anti-competitive business deal that makes AT&T the exclusive carrier for Apple. Strong "open access" provisions ensure you won't have to switch to an exclusive provider (on top of cancellation fees) just to use your next-generation gadget. They ensure the freedom to choose any network you like.
The definition of "open access" must also be expanded to cover content. Subscribers must be ensured unlimited access to content of their choosing.
At this pivotal moment in the history of media, Americans should demand that the FCC support "open access" in three ways in the upcoming auction. "Open access" must mean free use of devices and services over all networks. Second, it must mean unfettered access to any and all content. Finally, "open access" must mean wholesale provisions to optimize competition among service providers and break the grip that giant telecoms hold on the future of the Internet.
Sanders is a United States senator from Vermont.
10 Comments so far
Show AllBernie, you're the best.
"AT&T and Verizon want you to believe that "open access" provisions in the auction rules will interfere with the free market."
The market seems free only for the Big Money that owns it. Competitive, job providing small businesses stand to lose to these monopolies if open access is rejected.
This story of the wave of media consolidation we are still suffering through deserves to be taken back to the telecommunications Act of 1996--now that was a milestone for media consolidation and most of the Democrats, including AL GORE, were responsible -- http://www.freepress.net/news/print.php?id=8057
The voting record of those opposed/abstaining can be found here:
http://www.wave-guide.org/library/tca_hist.html
I agree with Bladerunner. The only way to get attention these days is by negatively impacting the bottom line of Corporations.
It is that same bottom line that drives media control, Free Trade and the destruction of jobs and the environment as well as CRIMINAL foreign policy that leads to the pursuit of profits through war, rape and the pillaging of others at the expense of "our" freedoms and airwaves while we in the first world and our "leaders" sit back and let it happen.
This has primarily been achieved by the on-going conditioning (dumbing-down) of the masses via mass media conglomerates and through the huge leverage that corporations (who have recently obtained the same constitutional right as citizens in the US) have on the loyalties of our "freely-elected" politicians and worldwide trade.
It's time to start an international strike! Is there anyone out there who can get the ball rolling by creating a web-site to drive this?
"AT&T and Verizon want you to believe that "open access" provisions in the auction rules will interfere with the free market. They claim the market, left to its own devices, has produced an abundance of wireless goods and services."
An abundance of goods and services?........Would those services include compliance with Executive Branch requests to conduct more illegal activities such as wiretapping?
Essential to the survival of The Republic
Is a Free, Decentralized Locally Owned Media.
The Media must be freed from 'Corpirate' control.
As long as we let The 'Conglom-Pirates' strangle
The Voice of Miss Liberty.
We will never be Free.
Free from their vile, hypnotic, conditioning,
Propaganda.
Violence, Terror,
Torture and War
Serve their means.
By keeping
The People
Ignorant, Terrorized, Poor and Confused.
While they rob your bank account (By devaluing the Dollar)
Loot our Treasury by creating:
(Record Deficits, Corporate Welfare and Huge Tax cuts)
For the Top 1%
We get an
Endless War!
The People are kept in the dark by being terrorized,
Lied to and Spied on.
The Airwaves belong to The People.
We license there use.
The Faux Media Conglomerates
Have broken The Contract,
By subverting the Truth.
For their own benefit.
By turning The News,
Into a Propaganda Tool.
The FAUX News is the vicious, vile,
Disinformation Service
By,
Rupert the Pervert.
For,
Billionaires-R-Us.
Nothing is beyond their control!
With the help of their new found friend,
The Super Computer
They control your T.V. set.
They morph The News
Without proper safeguards and controls
Unlimited wealth
Will always be used as a weapon against humanity,
When Aristocratic Egos run a mock
The People Pay,
With their Lives, Bodies, Souls and Minds.
Yes!
Higher Taxes on the Wealthy.
Keeps them from becoming too, Rich and Powerful.
By Redistributing the,
Creative Spirit's bounty of Abundance.
To All.
For
The Greater Good.
A Society should be ruled from the bottom up.
For the benefit of all.
From the least to the greatest.
Everyone is tied together genetically.
We should create a new expanded Bill of Rights.
That includes and Guarantees!
Healthcare, a Living wage, wholesome Food, pure Water, a clean and beautiful Environment,
To All.
Other wise you get stratification and
Corruption,
By the Few.
You would think that they would want these things too!
For themselves and their children.
What over rides their common sense and self preservation instincts?
The Wealthy have perverted the System
For their own benefit.
GREED is a negative human trait.
Selfishness is Evil.
It must be stopped!
Before it:
Destroys The World!
jeremy:
"can't organized labor back this essential first step at educating and informing working about WHY they are being destroyed."
work in my country (the us of a) has been made a dirty word..get the soap ma..ya know like its not ok to be a worker..
workers be on top!!we rule!!imagine a hive without us..dormat and dead..
dig it
an love it
an imagine
just exactly how bloody kool it
is to be a worker
an
pity
the folks who
expect capital rules
ken
I think the dollar should be privatized. Instead of calling it "The dollar" we could call it "The murdoch".
"Hi, how much is that?"
"m25.00 (25 murdoch's) please..."
"Thanks."
"OK, here's your change...m15.00 (15 murdoch's) Have a nice day!"
....privatization psychopaths
Perhaps we should urge the trade unions AFL-CIO and Ctw to stop supporting the Democratic Party (already besotted by corporate money). The split in the labor movement was supposedly about using dues monies to greatly expand organizing efforts.
To do this perhaps the union movement should focus its precious resources to fund a new national radio and television network. By being on the air 24 hours a day the labor movement could provide the latest news, information, education and current affairs analysis desperately needed by all working people.
As it is today, in the national print media, there are entire sections devoted to "Business" and "Money", but NOTHING ANYWHERE that addresses the news and information needs of working people.
Perhaps most working people have little time to read but do have time to listen to the radio. Instead of Rush Limbaugh, or Art Bell (flying saucers psueod-science), why can't organized labor back this essential first step at educating and informing working about WHY they are being destroyed.
Go Bernie Go!
If we can't stop the consolidation can we at least tax the hell out of the profits of broadcasters like Infinity, Clear Channel, or Sinclair and dedicate the proceeds to funding community radio and TV stations across the US?
Same for ISP (internet service providers) with the proceeds going to establish WIFI all across the US--maybe then we could catch up with Scandanavia and other such places who corrrectly understand the net as a vital utility and part of the commons.
Think about the fact that Murdoch is buying the Wall Street Journal. Rupert Murdoch gained fame in this country in the 1970's because of the smut magazines. Since then, he made a natural extension to his smut business by creating Fox News.
Murdoch creating a network simply to legitimize and help fabricate the talk radio jibber-jabber into honest news is simply wrong. But you must remember he knows the obscene smut business inside and out ergo, Fox News. So he simply hires Freedom hating, low-life, cowardly, scum that he knows will carry out his agenda.
One wonders since Murdoch's agenda will soon be the entire republican parties' platform. Therefore, this Bush administration is likely to pass, "The English Brotherhood Act"? We will most likely be told after-the-fact this act is necessary to help streamline the elections and eliminates the cost burden on the hard working republican's for their generous campaign contributions. This would also free the corporations from their burdensome yet generous donations. Additionally, all Americans would be united and not divided.
The Murdoch family would simply be declared our royal family with him being the king. Who would be opposed? Talk radio would tell the amoral mob (moral majority) it's a good deal; it would be a good deal for Wall Street and the corporate owned press/ "free press".
The king is dead long live the king. Oh the constitution may need to be slightly adjusted but that's no biggie compared to what this Bush administration has already done. The republican stacked Supreme Court would go alone for the ride.
Sure there might be a few cry baby liberals but then there always is.
Sorry it is already too late.