Candidate positions on media consolidation

[mouse7]

I wanted to have a thread where all the candidate positions were held. This is my "personal" number one isue going into this election. Without freeing the media from corporate influence, we have no chance of accomplishing the rest of our individual goals.

What are the stands of the candidates? Where do the stand on the Bush media consolidation plans? Where do they satnd on elimination of the 1996 communications act? Where do they stand on re-introduction of the fairness doctrine?

[schultzee]

1. Dean wants to re-regulate or break up the big media monopolies

and I think that is why they are trying so hard to destroy him. I don't know about the others, but I think Kucinich would do the same.

[DIBL]

2. Wes Clark in reponse to an audience question in NH.

"You're talking to someone who's a former commentator on CNN, and I don't know if any of my CNN colleagues are here today. Do we have CNN? We have FOX on television (laughs). OK. that's OK, no that's OK, I've been on FOX a few times I love to argue with those guys. (laughs)

But, the way the media consolidations works, it started with with the repeal of the fair and balanced law from the 1980's, 88. I think it was an equal time law. It said you had to give equal time to opposing viewpoints of major candidates and major issues on public broadcasting and on the airwaves. That was repealed as I recall under the Ragean administration, 1987 I think it was. And there were also laws that enabled media to be consolidated and I'm against these laws. I think that independent media is vital for America. I don't think it should be consolidated. I worry a lot about the fact that media is no longer an independent business. They're a part of conglomerates, they're owned by big businesses, they're under the same sort of profit motives, profit pressures as everyone else. And so I know that they're carefully calculating audience share, advertising rates and so forth and it's just bound to have an impact on what's presented and how it's presented.

And I'm worried about the fact that our radio stations and commercial television stations could be increasingly brought under centralized or the control of just a few press magnates. There are people out there who own a number of newspapers around the world, I don't wanna mention them by name. But they're well known for their viewpoints. Their view points do influence the news that's in print, we know that. And I think what makes our country work is that we've had a free media. and we've had a lot of independent people who believe in the profession of journalism as the objective, or as closest as humanly possible, objective reporting of the news and where its opinion is on the opinion page or in the editorial column.

And so I worry about where it's headed and I will not support media consolidation."

Source: rtsp://video.c-span.org/project/c04/c04122003_clark.rm (38 minutes into the video).

[revcarol]

3. Nice waffle.

In his view, the problem will be in the future.

In my view, the problem is NOW. What's he going to do to undo the present problem, or doesn't he even see it exists?

[Mattforclark]

5. HUH?

He says:

"But, the way the media consolidations works, it started with with
the repeal of the fair and balanced law from the 1980's, 88. I think it was an equal time law."

The problem started in the 1980's.

"I worry a lot about the fact that media is no longer an independent business. They're a part of conglomerates, they're owned by big businesses, they're under the same sort of profit motives, profit pressures as everyone else."

Very much present tense.

Where are you getting that, if not from thin air???

He is saying that the problem started with the Reagan administration, it exists now, and we need to both make sure it does not get worse and get back to where we were before the fairness doctrine was smoked.

[Mattforclark]

4. Clark wants to bring back the fairness doctrine

He has said it in his first town hall meeting in NH just after he entered and repeated it since. He is not a fan of media consolidation.

I don't think he has a policy paper online about it, but you can see what he says about it at the us for clark video page, at the end of that first town hall when he is talking to people.

[revcarol]

6. Just making sure it doesn't get worse and advocating the fairness doctrine

doesn't address MEDIA CONSOLIDATION.

We have MEDIA COONSOLIDATION NOW. What's he gonna do?

[mouse7]

7. Might be good time for Clark supporters ask HQ for policy paper

Media consolidation, both reversing previous consolidation, and preventing further consolidation are critical issues.

Also, will Clark pledge to re-institute the Fairness Doctrine, and apply it to broadcast and cable TV networks, as well as radio.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

8. Kucinich will truly reform media...

http://www.kucinich.us/issues/media_reform.php


snip---
"Dennis Kucinich will, as President, work for serious media reform, including substantial free air time for candidates and parties. Given the high cost of campaigns, the power of corporate special interests, and the fact that the networks are given free use of the public's airwaves, Kucinich will require that the networks give something back other than "reality" shows."

snip---
"In addition to requiring free air time for political campaigns, Kucinich will create a greater diversity of viewpoints in the media by breaking up the major media conglomerates, encouraging competition and quality, as well as diversity. Kucinich will place new caps on media ownership and would ban the granting of exceptions to those caps. Kucinich will limit the number of media outlets one corporation can own in a given medium, such as radio, print, or television. He will strictly prohibit cross-ownership and vertical integration."

snip---
"Kucinich will work to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization, which media companies are currently lobbying for the creation of trade sanctions against countries that fund public broadcasting, limit foreign ownership of media, or establish standards for local content. For similar reasons, Kucinich will block US participation in the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas."

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Once again Kucinich has a great stance on an issue... what ya gonna do? :shrug:

VOTE FOR HIM!

GO DENNIS!

TWL