if the FCC determines that they would be in the public interest.

Hell there's nothing about the media that's in the public interest now.

Follow the money. What has Martin been promised, and by whom?

I was just going to say that, but baruch beat me to it.

well, he was asked that question... were there deals in the works pending this decision and he hemmed and hawed and then said "No."

So what? I canceled the papers and unpluged the boob tube a long time ago.
It's better to be uninformed than misinformed.

The action plan for Congress should be simple: Tell Martin, "Look, Chump, any action you may take will be PROMPTLY REVERSED by the new Congress; which will create havoc among your corrupt conspirators (read: big media).

So if you want to cost them millions in legal fees, fines, and a variety of punitive actions, then just go ahead.....
chump!!!"

End of quotation! End of topic!!

Just because you unplug the tube doesn't mean you need to be uninformed.

I quit getting my news from monopoly media and started spending more time searching the internet.

Well, yeah. Conservatism is going to do conservatism's business at lightspeed for the next 12 months in fear of losing opportunity. Us citizens will have to play catchup at the 2008 election, and there is always a question whether we'll have either the brains or the moxie to find the reverse gear.

Is Martin searving the public interest? Hell no! He said in clearly: "Martin, a Republican, said the FCC had been reviewing its ownership rules for 18 months and that the commission needed to act to help the financially struggling newspaper industry."

The moves outraged the FCC's two Democrats, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, as well as many members of Congress, who accused Martin of short-circuiting the process.

I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked to discover that the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has an "obsession" with media ownership rules.

Thronbon December 14th, 2007 12:14 pm says "Thee action plan for Congress should be simple: Tell Martin, "Look, Chump, any action you may take will be PROMPTLY REVERSED by the new Congress; which will create havoc among your corrupt conspirators (read: big media).
So if you want to cost them millions in legal fees, fines, and a variety of punitive actions, then just go ahead…..
chump!!!"
I'm not so sure that will happen unless there is a landslide victory at the executive and legislative arena. I read here at CD lots of hate and frustration wasted on which "progressive" Presidental and legislative candidates are worthy of the office-even to the point of suggesting a vote for Repulicans. We HAVE to back the winner of the Democratic primaries 100% and stop this squabeling amongst ourselves. Back whom ever you like in the primaries but get on board for the final act.

The action plan for Congress should be simple: Tell Martin, "Look, Chump, any action you may take will be PROMPTLY REVERSED by the new Congress; which will create havoc among your corrupt conspirators (read: big media).
_________________________________________________

Indeed. But the operational word is "should".

Instead of biting off this corrupt pissant Martin's head and spitting it onto the garbage heap where it belongs, the most that will happen is that a few Dems will gum his head for a bit, then roll over and play dead.

The faithful will believe that the Dems are winking at them in their craven passivity, and will soon set things to rights when they're swept into power in 2008.

I also hear they'll be raffling off the Brooklyn Bridge.

Little Brother how much do the raffle tickets cost?

and why, in this laissez faire capitalist economy, is the FCC responsible for the health of the "strugging" newspaper industry?

(answering his own question): capitalism is only for the individual.

If they can concentrate the internet, they've won.

This is a long standing pattern with the FCC. As public discourse becomes narrower and as it drifts farther and farther from reality, the closer the country gets to complete collapse. It's a form of institutional cognitive dissonance, and it gets worse every year.

Sure this will be great for seven billionaire white guys and their compliant lackeys. But as the subprime fiasco deepens, however, I don't think any amount of candy-coating and distraction is going to keep people from noticing the Sheriff knocking on the door to physically evict them from their foreclosed property.

On the other hand, I have been very impressed with Michael J. Copps' outspokenness about the subversion of democracy inherent in this push. This takes real courage when your colleagues are shills like Martin with very powerful friends.

Like many here, I long ago dumped the TV to my great benefit. I encourage all my friends to get rid of their cable and television, and this kind of consolidation business makes it really easy to demonstrate the beholden nature of media to their corporate masters. Most people I talk to these days get it... except the Fox crowd. Those people are just in la la land.

And as for consolidating the internet, it could happen but if it does, it will be the end of the world as we know it. At that point we will formally be enslaved. Then there will be no recourse except to take to the streets with sticks and stones and take it all down. And maybe that's not a bad thing.

Nathan Andover December 14th, 2007 12:21 pm

Yes, I'm on the web all the time also.

The thing about rejecting MSM is that there is one less fool reading the corporate propaganda. With fewer readers/watchers the MSM and corporations might just get the message. (Lack of) money talks.

The problem is that a lot of people still tune in to FOX, CNN, etc. to get their "news". If this wasn't so, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Technically we own the airwaves. The question is how do we reclaim them.
What 20% profit margin still isn't enough for them?

In many countries outside the US, people use news sources that are not controlled by the current strongman. I guess we have already crossed the threshold, but for some reason most people in the US still depend on media controlled by their strongman (MIC etc.).

It might have to further downhill before people realize and change their sources of info.

He obviously thinks he is going to get away with it, so he doesn't care. Isn't this guy an appointed official? Can't he be impeached? He's not a dictator; we do have checks and balances. Fire him.

"we do have checks and balances. Fire him."

To do that you have to get rid of the chimp commander and his fellow ape.

Once again, those Senate committees strike a strong blow against monopoly, corruption and special interests. What a farce these committes have become. Maybe if they said "pretty please", they would get some compliance and bi-partinship. Ho! Ho! Ho!

According to the U.S. sheeple, swine like him are heroes.

There's no news on either the front page nor on page 1B of my morning paper. Sorta local gossip...third hand: somebody said that someone told them that a retired prelate was wandering around in in a nearby town, blah blah; 2 children killed by unknown person said a neighbor.

Wonder how long I'll subscribe just to get to work the Sudoku puzzle du jour.

Meanwhile the tree ordinance has been violated just this year by clear cutting a large property for cookie-cutter houses on the highest point in our neighborhood. No one at the newspaper knows about it and certainly not my city council respresentative who says it was probably "grandfathered" which is not even possible. Clear Channel is going to put up 15 digital signboards in our town which will change content every 10 seconds. And our city council representative was glad, GLAD to report that our forested neighborhood has the greatest number of Section 8 residents in town. And we're going to toll our federal highways into town...highways we've already paid for.

Wouldn't you think the newspapers would want to print something to place these issues front and center--before the city council votes? The answer apparently is, "No."

Somebody, quoted in this morning's paper, said the responsible parties for ever- increasing property valuations are the property tax appraisers themselves.

So what's the point Mr. Martin is trying to make? We're full of local gossip, what we lack is real investigative reporting by real reporters on all the news--local, state and national--the story behind the story. Man! I could give 'em a few tips on where to begin. And then our newspaper would really be something to crow about.

Simple enough ... if the Congress really wanted to stop this, someone just needs to make a change to the omnibus spending bill now in Congress to zero out the FCC's budget. Congress has power, they just never use it.

When Congress used to act this way, no agency head would ever have dissed Congress like this.

----------

For the MSM, I blocked it all off my TV set year ago. Don't watch local TV news, and don't read much of the local paper except maybe go to the website to see how the Broncos lost last night.

Of course, I was a bit surprised when I walked out the door today and found it snowing. There's some drawback to not watching the weather on the local news. But, I tend to like a few surprises in my life. :)

I AM NOT REALLY SURPRISED AND DON'T EXPECT MUCH FROM THE CURRENT FCC CHAIR.
THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD HAVE IMPEACHED MR. BUSH AND CHENEY.
WHERE IS CONGRESS WHEN YOU NEED THEM?

None of this will matter because the Lord is coming back soon....oh,...sorry...ahem, none of this will matter because the economy is going to collapse soon.

COMarc, great suggestion!

But of course, in order for the threat to be effective, they would have to actually do it. Somehow with the democrats the rubber never seems to meet the road. I honestly have no idea why they think they have any chance whatsoever at winning the Whitehouse in 2008. Obviously their pollsters know something we don't.

Since Clinton the first (and hopefully the only) took the 'policy by polling' approach to governance in 1996 in order to win the election, the democratic party has lost its moorings. It no longer has an ideology or a theoretically grounded position. It will follow whichever way the wind is blowing.

The only thing that is funnier than the dems acting all upset by Martin's defiance is that he was chastised by Rockefeller. I mean WTF? If that's not the height of hypocrisy, than I don't know what is. Somehow this conjures visions of the two in Rockefeller's office sipping brandy and giggling over the faux fight.

The public - we citizens - own the airwaves, but seldom benefit from an academic or entertainment standpoint.

Just one steady stream of commercials bridged by a few minutes here and there with excerpts . . . Non-news programmes. Hardly any access to the world's great thinkers and scientists. Religious programmes that preach HATE (Christmas ought to be cancelled owing to an over-whelming number of hypocrits) . . .

And unwanted adult programmes. I'm no prud, but when I am forced to pay over $50.00 just to get 3 channels I want (vs the 99% I don't) I am sick of landing on a channel where couples are having at it . . . and in once instance discussing three way sex of the scatological variety . . . . NO THANKS.

But we simply can't allow monopolies to own OUR AIRWAVES and disallow any other point of view but their own . . . fascist
dictates.

Nadar knows the ins and outs of the FCC dilemma . . . but NOBODY WILL EVER LISTEN TO HIM . . . let alone call their congressional reps and complain.

Let's start right now by calling Harry Reid stand up against the FCC, the repugnicans, and Bush and Cheney for unlimited crimes against humanity.

Harry just sold us out to the oil companies today.

Let's beg our congresspeople to support the new bid to impeach Cheney in the house judiciary committee. www.wexlerwantshearings.com

Heck, I was going to vote Democratic (my dream ticket is still Paul/Kucinich--they're the only ones who seem radical enough to have a snowball's chance in Guantanamo to make any changes),

BUT, I'm switching to Giuliani (well, maybe Mittsie) as being the absolutely WORST person to pick up the Republican Coup begun by the Cheney/Bush Administration and carry it to completion.

Without an overt declaration of martial law, I don't think the rest of America will wake up and get the message that we've already been taken over. And I think Giuliani's the man for the job. He'll definitely "gedderdone," as Larry the Cable Guy likes to say. Rudy the G has already facilitated the 9/11 jazz--helping our good citizen Larry "There have been so many deaths already, we should pull it" Silverstein get his leases and demolition charges in order, and then facilitated the lightning-fast destruction of the 9/11 crime scene (there were crimes committed there, right? Sometimes I think I'm just dreaming all of this unbelievable animal byproduct has happened/is happeningl. I keep hoping I'll wake up and find it's just been a really rotten nightmare. But I'm beginning to suspect that I actually am awake and all this is really happening--like the Martin/FCC stuff. Congressmen "begging" an administration hack to honor his oath about the Constitution and the public service/public interest, as the 1933 or so Federal Communications Act requires, I think? Begging? You KNOW we're cooked when Congress has turned into supplicant serfs, kissing the boots of the King and his dukes, earls and other assorted (or sordid) princelings.

You know, that "Of course, the most powerful military in the world, with the most powerful defense systems in the world, wouldn't be able to knock four (that's 4) hijacked commercial airliners out of the sky. I mean, our military doesn't even have those guys--what're they called, now?--Ahhh, pilots--that's the word. We haven't trained any since, heck, Vietnam, probably, right?

Besides, even if we still had pilots, they'da only had a few hours to get planes into the air, and they'd hardly have enough time to drive in from home, put on their gear, file their flight plans, pull the planes out of the hangars, run through all of their pre-flight check-lists--Oh, yeah, and take on some fuel--you know, all that logistical stuff. Nobody thinks about that, but, man, it takes hours and hours to do all that stuff.

At least if we had martial law, it'd probably only take 20 or 30 insurgents (insurgents are the 99.99 percent of us who don't have money, jobs, health insurance, retirement pensions--and, soon enough, even a roof over our heads anymore) to handle what's left of the military, national guard, state and local police who've all be trained by the military, and outfitted with all that good Home Security materiel.

It'd probably take just a few hours' work, and the US would be back in the hands of its citizens again. And we could just start all over again, right from the Declaration of Independence. Those of us who survived could call ourselves Neocons--short for Neo Constitutionalists, rather than the Screaming Nuthatch Zionists whose battle cry is "Never Again--Except When We Do It, Because Revenge Is Our Birthright--or survival-right!" Whatever. I guess that's why they engage so many resources to spy on us--probably worry that we're not bellicose enough, and might get soft on Palestinians, Egyptians, Iranians, Syrians, Iraqis, Lebanese, Saudis--man, that's not too many friends!--good they've got WMDs!

(end of not all that sarcastic a rant.)

Oops. I meant to say:

BUT, I'm switching to Giuliani (well, maybe Mittsie) as being the absolutely WORST person to be President, but probably the BEST person to pick up the Republican Coup begun by the Cheney/Bush Administration and carry it to completion.

When even Trent Lott wants this stopped, you know it is really f**ked up.
The Administration is gearing up for next years elections and getting wingnut media ready for the smear of all smears through the newly "revised" media. Dems will have a tough time getting their message out and the terrorpublicans will have free reign.

In light of most of the above discussion, isn't it about time for Congress to do a little bit of constructive legislation to end all of this neo-con charade?

We've all had the opportunity now to study the the dweeby, implacable face of Kevin Martin, a soulless hireling tasked with delivering the combined propaganda power of broadcast and print media into the hands of Rupert Murdoch and his fascist cronies, as he went through the perfunctory public hearings and obligatory Congressional grillings, making no secret of the fact that his mind had been made up from the beginning to scrap the 32 year old cross-ownership ban despite overwhelming public opposition and pleas from Congress to delay Tuesday's vote. The confrontation with Congress was especially revealing: John Kerry asking this sullen young poppinjay point blank if he would be willing to postpone the decision until the consequences of the rule change could be determined, and being told, simply, no.

To what level of poltroonery have we come? To what pathetic impotence, when this spoiled frat boy, this bespectacled bug, can slouch like a bored, contemptuous teenager before one outraged town meeting after another, before the Congress of the United States and simply declare, without the courtesy of a reasonable explanation, that he is going to do as he pleases because the decision has already been taken and because he has the power to do so.

Doesn't this remind you of another defiant frat boy, another ego obsessed dim bulb invested, by some cosmic joke with the power to obstruct the will of the people and ability of the international community to avert environmental catastrophe? I mean, it's just him, standing in front of 200 million people, in front of the whole world, insisting on having it his way, insisting that nobody can get past him. It's unnatural. Why haven't we just run him over?

Who is this Martin anyway? Who gave this contemptible twerp the power to simply ignore us and then tell our so-called representatives to fuck off? Can't we have the bailiff remove him to the street? Can't we just spray him with something? I tell you, the masks are coming off at BushCo. The pretense of democratic process is apparently no longer necessary. I expect some time in the coming months, with supportive fanfare from the new media conglomerates, to be informed by some implacable official that the 2008 election has been cancelled for national security reasons.

culicomorpha, whatfools, lobster, COMark:

Most of us long ago turned off the canned pap that dribbles from our tvs into our living rooms. No problem. I'd be upset if newspapers disappeared, however. I keep parrots, and say what you will about the Wall Street Journal, it is absolutely the best cage liner you can find. I would favor them staying in business, but just selling us blank pages at a reduced price.

You and I remain a minority of people who proactively ferret out information on the internet, so if the MSM wants to merge one brainless medium with another it doesn't inconvenience us at a personal level. The thing that should alarm us about the trend in media consolidation is the impact on the 50% of minimally educated, politically ambivalent middle Americans who want the editorial page to tell them who to vote for, or who want the man on the tv to tell them it's a great thing for their kid to join the army. It is the couch potatoes of America, not its political activists, who decide elections and determine the future direction of us all.

voxclamantis: I agree with you as well as probably all those who post here at Common Dreams. I don't include those posts which pop up from time to time which are written by people who have no honest intentions, no true beliefs which can withstand honest scrutiny.

That being said, I turn now to the topic of the serious brain damage being caused by almost every single program on TV. I don't have a TV; and I haven't watched it for almost three years now but that's only because of where I live. I would buy one immediately because I do enjoy a few programs on television. I also like to see some sports from time to time, as well as see a good movie.

I teach. And I am absolutely appalled by what the USA's popular culture is doing to the young in ALL countries of the world. I'm not saying that there is absolutely nothing good we send around the world. I am saying that there is very little of it. It's not only in the US where this "dumbing down" is occurring – it is practically everywhere.

There are exceptions, of course, but the majority of the young are interested in matters which have nothing to do with thought and seeking truth. Music – that which makes it to the airwaves – is a shadow of what it was only a few decades ago. Thank goodness for books such as Harry Potter, or practically no one would be reading books. Students learn, but it is all about getting the highest score. Most students have no true grasp of what they have learned. They just want to look good and will do anything to get that high score. The ways to cheat today are amazing.

It has all become about superficial issues and ways of living. And it isn't the teachers who are to blame, it's the MSM. I find myself spending more and more time lecturing my students on the benefits of thinking for one's self. And as a consequence, I have to be more rigid and controlling in class, instead of the classroom being a fun and exciting place to be and learn.

I could go on and on with examples, but I will only say that I have definitely seen this occurring more and more over the years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. We all know that any government would be happy with this situation. Keep the masses as placid as cows and those who step out of line, well, governments know how to crush any such attempt at youth attempting to organize and tell their peers what they are missing.

I've looked long and hard at myself here; am I just getting older and missing the picture? You know, those stories such as "when I was a kid…" But I believe I am being as objective as possible here. And now, the FCC wants to further extend the media's control over what we think? As all of us who have read some of the Federalists Papers, or the Founding "Fathers" views in the press were, they all agreed that the more sources of news and views published for the common people, the better chances a Democracy had of surviving.

I wonder what would happen to a man like Thomas Paine today. We all know what would happen should another Jesus Christ come along.

One thing I forgot to add. Try this little experiment sometime when you are overhearing a conversation between most youths. Try to keep count of how many times you hear phrases such as "you know" or, "it's like…"

Why will you hear so many kids talk that way? It's because they can't think of the word to express a thought, so they resort to generalities. So many of our young simply can't THINK anymore, and their vocabulary has become so small that they can't find the word needed to effectively communicate.

It's all just vagueness and generalities – not much more clear thinking and speaking skills left out there. And where are the parent's? Either working themselves to death or watching the boob tube as well.

I watched the December 14 Senate hearing on CSPAN (it's still available in the video archive at www.cspan.org). The person i was watching it with said that the FCC has been appointed by the Senate, and that the Senate had the power to write legislation barring Martin from proceeding with the consolidation vote on December 18. If this is true, then I think what is going on is that all of the Democrats get to rant and rave and perform as if they are on the side of the people and the public interest, while meanwhile they have no real intention of stopping Martin. They are deep down on his side. The independent media is a threat to them and their power, obviously. So they get credit for defending the people against the evil Kevin Martin during the hearing, but allow the rule change to proceed anyway, even though they have the power to stop it.

The Dems are so two-faced. I have to admit I am beginning to admire the Republicans for being one-faced, i.e. fairly honest about their aims and motives.

Watch what happens on December 18, and it will be a good litmus test for the Dems (as if we needed another one). If only more people could put it all together and see that the mainstream Dems are not going to save the world and have no intention of doing so.

Folks stop doing anything that puts $ into the MSM. That means lay off the brand name products, turn off the commercial channels, and do your best to let your pollsters know.

Martin and the Rep FCC are betraying the people, and serving only the Corporate State.

From IRON HEEL by Jack London: "You have forgotten the editors. They draw their salaries for the policy they maintain. Their policy is to print nothing that is a vital menace to the established. The press of the United States? It is a parasitic growth that battens on the capitalist class. Its function is to serve the established by moulding public opinion, and right well it serves it."

Time to start organizing our own independent media outlets. There are already many that you can participate in.

http://indymedia.us/en/index.shtml

We can't depend on these self-interested government cronies to do a damn thing in our interest. We need to do it ourselves!

That pimply-faced little shit, Martin, what an absolutely arrogant know-nothing. How old is he anyway? 12? Spouting incorrect information as if no-one would challenge him. One senator questioned him about the statement Martin made at the hearing regarding newspapers going broke and needing cross-ownership to stay afloat; the senator nailed him to the wall with facts and figures. There are plenty of opportunities for newspapers to engage in the e-market if they choose to do so.

Martin and the other members of the FCC had met with ~1,000 disgruntled citizens in Seattle until 1:00 a.m. on a Thursday. The New York Times (Post?) offered Martin space for an op-ed piece that appeared the following Tues. about the FCC's plans to change the rules about cross-ownership. (Bribe? There's your smoking gun.) Asked when he had started writing his piece, he actually admitted to the Commerce committee that he had started writing it *before* the Seattle meeting! The more the Commerce committee challenged him, the more arrogant he became. Smug little bastard.

I don't know what's up with the Republicans questioning the rush to consolidate. That's just weird.

The Dems will demonstrate cave-in technique #37 in acquiescing to this ruling.

This Martin guy looks too young to get his first $million payoff for assisting in building media monopolies. Makes this old fart envious to see such an easy road to riches.

Has everyone clicked on the "We're going to have to nuke the whole place" cartoon image on the top right of CommonDreams home page?

Do you suppose Martin the Impassive adopted his passive hostility as a young child? He has but one coping strategy: to think of nothing but what he is going to do. He hears but does not process what he heard. Hmm! "Let him who has ears...," Jesus said.

Who is the FCC answerable to - only the president?

"He's an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks, to collect a bill."

This guy is under orders to do this deed against the American people.

Corporations rule this country and will until we the people revolt against them!!!

Martin is another illustration of the need to impeach both Bush and Cheney: The longer Bush is in office the more of these terrible appointments he will make and the more our democracy will suffer.

I wonder if a White Knight (Mr. Soros and his foundation, perhaps?) might consider riding into this mess with sword held high and billions of dollars in hand with which LOCAL journalists can buy back their newspapers from the corporate owners who are trying to turn them all into shadows of their former selves and their radio stations from the same creepo owners. Local owners/operators and internet news providers could (and would, I am sure) lead the return to a truly free and fearless press.

The current government is certainly not interested in anything but pleasing their corporate buddies and Mr. Martin is doing his best to help.

And as usual, the so-called "left" still thinks government will SPOONFEED them. Why should you expect the FCC to not act in this way? The agency is FUBAR (FUCKED up beyond all repair) and it's high time to ABOLISH it and build one that represents the people's interests and needs instead of keeping one that represents only Big Media's special "interests". Wake up people !