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Stop Big Media

www.myspace.com/stopbigmedia

Save Your Local Media From Corporate ControlMood: working workingat 3:56 PM Apr 22 view more

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  • 32 / Female
  • NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts, US
  • Last Login: 5/1/2009

Blurbs

About me:

Big Media, Bad Idea

Corporate media giants are silencing diverse voices, abandoning quality journalism and eliminating local content (we've got evidence). Our democracy needs better media. Bad policies made in Washington could have a big impact on the news in your community. Find out how you can help.

Who I'd like to meet:

Activists, students, media makers, broadcasters, journalists, grassroots organizers, lawyers, and concerned citizens who are willing to speak up, speak out, and Stop Big Media from getting any bigger!

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Interests

  • General

    Big isn't always bad -- unless you're talking about the companies that dominate our country's media.

    A handful of companies control most of what we see, hear and read every day. They own our TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, cable channels, movie studios, music labels -- even our favorite Internet sites.

    Unchecked consolidation means that Big Media are getting even bigger, giving these firms more control over our news and information. Bottom line? Big Media are bad news -- for all of us.

    The only way to stop Big Media is by getting organized in our communities and demanding our leaders in Washington start listening to the public instead of the industry lobbyists.

    Visit Stop Big Media to find out how you can get involved and get graphics like the one below for your own site.

    Homogenization: Good for Milk, bad for media. StopBigMedia.com

  • Music

    Under radio consolidation, commercial "talent" gets pushed to the top of playlists nationwide, shoving local artists off the airwaves and turning radio choice into a mind-numbing race to the bottom. On every dial you hear the same music, the same playlists, and the same junk.

    Before 1996 no radio owner held more than 65 stations; today, more than 75 percent of all radio is controlled by companies that own more than 40 stations.

    The new owners are driven not by creativity, but the urge to maximize profits. The voices of up-and-coming local artists and musicians -- of diversity and creativity in a community -- are lost in the mix. We need local radio that supports local artists.

    Is junk media making you sick?

    Interested in hearing more? Tune into Free Press' Media Minutes radio program as it tracks the latest industry developments, keeps an eye on Washington policy-makers, and talks to the experts and activists dedicated to changing our media environment for the better.

  • Television

    A small legal change in 1996 made a big difference for TV in America. The Telecom Act of 1996 removed limits on station ownership, allowing companies to buy more stations in more parts of the country than ever before.

    Between 1995 and 2003, ten of the largest TV-station owners went from owning 104 stations with $5.9 billion in revenue to owning 299 stations with $11.8 billion in revenue – and the numbers are still growing.

    Recent studies have shown that minorities and women are grossly under-represented in ownership of our nation's commercial television stations with minorities comprising 34 percent of the U.S. population and owning just 3.15 percent of television stations. Women make up 51 percent of the population, but own just 5.87 percent of television stations.