It wasn't a surprise, we are now accustomed to the FCC voting on significant orders under the cover of the holidays when mainstream media coverage of such obscure political issues is at a minimum (not to mention media self-interest). It was this time last year that the FCC drove a spike into PEG, and only this past Halloween that they drove another (quite literally crucifying PEG to a company owned telephone pole). Today Chairman Martin pushed through the media ownership changes that had been overwhelmingly rejected in public hearings around the country over the course of the past year an agency charged with protecting the 'public interest and necessity' in communications issues and regulatory policy, this FCC demonstrates an alarming inability to listen to the public. Kudos to FCC Commissioners Copps and Adelstein for their human decency and best efforts, it's certainly not their fault they're seated amidst a majority of hardened, cold corporate agents.
Republican Chairman Martin did it, because he could, and presumably because he (and his party bosses) have political favors/debts to pay to those that own the corporate media. If the FCC had war powers, the US could have been making a mess of Iran a year ago. Instead the FCC only has dominion over the media. So tonight the media can rest assured it still won't have to dig too deep into such petty issues as war. Instead the media execs can continue to focus on vertical integration, market concentration, stock valuation, the bottom line and of course executive pay. The Bush administration can rest easy too - there is no danger of any new 'news' on the immediate horizon, only the same players, or quite likely fewer players and those that are compliant allies in the lies of the day.
Happy Holidays America - You can still sleep deeply and awaken to fear and loathing.
The Media Democracy press releases of the day were fast and furious - a brief run-down:
The FCC Voted: Time to Raise Hell - Josh Silver, Free Press
http://saveaccess.org/node/1955 [1]
New Ownership Rules Threaten Diversity - Charles Benton
http://saveaccess.org/node/1950 [2]
Does Congress Have the Resolve to Disapprove of Big Media? - Chicago Media Action
http://saveaccess.org/node/1951 [3]
FCC vote lifting cross-ownership ban shows agency still doesn’t get it - Common Cause
http://saveaccess.org/node/1952 [4]
UCC media justice advocates condemn FCC decision to relax ownership rules - UCC
http://saveaccess.org/node/1953 [5]
FCC's New Media Rules Worse than Advertised - Free Press
http://saveaccess.org/node/1954 [6]