FAIR is the national progressive media watchdog group, challenging corporate media bias, spin and misinformation.
How is media concentration impacting media content? Gloria Tristani, former FCC commissioner, joins CounterSpin to discuss the results of recent academic studies that look to answer this question. Also this week: Diane Farsetta of the Center for Media and Democracy on video news releases and the FCC.
This week on CounterSpin: Journalist Daniel Davies joins for a discussion on a recent study by The Lancet, which found that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died as a consequence of the war. Also on the show: The FCC’s war on “indecency,” with Peggy Charren.
The Federal Communications Commission has suppressed reports documenting the negative impact of media consolidation, even as the FCC trumpeted reports that reflect favorably on Commission members’ deregulation campaign. The scandal emerged on September 12, when Sen. Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.) produced a leaked copy of a 2004 FCC report as she questioned current FCC chair Kevin […]
In the days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as the U.S. military planned a massive aerial bombing campaign on the densely populated city of Baghdad, the Pentagon phrase “Shock and Awe” was repeated with enthusiasm on television, part of the celebration of the power of modern warfare. At the same time, Deep Dish TV […]
This week on CounterSpin: Despite the recent significant decision by Congress to pass legislation that recognizes some forms of detainee abuse as torture, the media is focused on all the wrong things. Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights joins the show to discuss the situation. Also on the program: Hannah Sassaman of Prometheus Radio Project about the FCC and its habitual suppression of research on media ownership.
Following pressure from FAIR and others, Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin has ordered an inspector general investigation (AP, 9/19/06) into the suppression of two FCC media ownership reports. One report, highlighted in FAIR’s September 15 Action Alert, found in 2004 that local television ownership increases local news content by nearly five-and-a-half minutes and total […]
(NOTE: Please see the Activism Update regarding this alert.) A 2004 Federal Communications Commission study that showed locally owned television stations provide more local news than others was ordered destroyed by FCC officials, and only came to light this week when a copy was leaked to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.). Three years ago, then-FCC chair […]
Anthony Riddle of the Alliance for Community Media joins to discuss a new major telecom bill. Also on the show: Nat Perry on the Bush White House and his recent report “Washington’s Orwellian Consensus.”
This week, Congress could deal a serious blow to some of the few remaining checks on corporate domination of the media landscape. The House Commerce Committee is debating proposed legislation called the COPE Act (or the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act). Critics point to two significant problems with the bill: —Community TV: Public access, […]
This week on CounterSpin: Emily Whitfield of the ACLU discusses Amy Gharib prison and the Pentagon’s cover up. Also on the show: Is the so-called a la carte approach to cable TV a win for the public, or just another way for media giants to control the flow of information? We’ll ask of Kenneth DeGraff of Consumers Union.
This week on CounterSpin, Joshua Holland of Alternet joins to discuss the so-called oil-for-food scandal and how a right-wing spin has been driving the story. Also: Director Andrew Schwartzman on the Media Access Project.
Over the past few years, the war over the Digital Divide has spread to a new technological turf: “broadband” Internet access. Broadband allows for much faster and more efficient data transmission than traditional dial-up modems. The catch: The telecommunications companies that offer broadband don’t necessarily offer it to all customers, and for those who can […]
Wenonah Hauter of Public Citizen discusses a recently passed energy bill. Also this week: Anthony Riddle talks about corporate media attempts to disregard public access requirements.
A front-page New York Times story (5/2/05) added to mounting evidence that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) under chair Kenneth Tomlinson is pressuring public television officials to produce more conservative programming, and to rein in shows it perceives as liberal. “The Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is aggressively pressing public television […]
Maria Ruzicka was dedicated to documenting and securing compensation for civilian victims of U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. While the media has been paying tribute to Ruzicka, following her recent death in Baghdad, that same press corps seems uninterested in actually honoring her work. Also this week: there have been big changes at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, after its president was seemingly forced out and replaced by a more conservative overseer. Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy joins CounterSpin to discuss this situation.
This week the House is voting on bankruptcy legislation, although the media seems to be confusing the public on what those changes would actually accomplish. Also on the show: Sarah Posner discusses right-wing Christian broadcasters.
The FCC’s anti-indecency campaign and censorship. Also this week: 35 years ago Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon papers, which exposed the U.S. government’s disregard for the human cost of the Vietnam War. Today Ellsberg joins CounterSpin to talk about two important current whistleblower stories the media is neglecting.
Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies on Bush’s inauguration speech. Also: Michael Powell’s announced departure as FCC chair leaves an opening for George Bush to appoint a new FCC chair in March. Bob McChesney joins to discuss Michael Powell and the future of the FCC.
A license permits broadcasting, but the licensee has no constitutional right to be the one who holds the license or to monopolize a…frequency to the exclusion of his fellow citizens. There is nothing in the First Amendment which prevents the Government from requiring a licensee to share his frequency with others…. It is the right […]
How accurate is U.S. media’s portrayal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez? Also this week: what will the future of TV look like following the changeover to digital technology?
