CWA Uniquely Suited to Take On Big Media, FCC

Four years ago, the Federal Communications Commission began what could have been a routine and largely stealth process to rewrite media ownership rules so that giant companies could buy and control even more newspapers, TV stations and radio stations.

Thanks largely to CWA, the agency and America's media corporations were in for a rude awakening.

Under the leadership of CWA's newspaper and broadcast sectors, a groundswell of opposition rose from the union movement. Together with groups as diverse as peace activists, religious conservatives and the National Rifle Association, union members made it clear that media diversity is essential to democracy itself.

"Every American who believes that this country can and should remain a democracy — with informed citizens and honest debate — owes a debt of gratitude to The Newspaper Guild and NABET for recognizing the threat and acting to thwart it," said John Nichols, a journalist and media reform activist who is one of the country's leading voices against media consolidation.

The two CWA media sectors helped sound the alarm in 2003 and are continuing to lead the fight today as the FCC is poised again to rollback ownership rules.

Union leaders are deeply worried about job cuts as big media companies put smaller ones out of business. But they are equally concerned about the grave harm being done to the free exchange and diversity of ideas in what was once a vibrant media marketplace.

"To be informed and engaged, our citizens need to have access to as much information as possible about what is going on in their communities, their country and the world," NABET-CWA President John Clark said. "Media consolidation reduces the number of sources for information and restricts the viewpoints we hear."

Already, giant corporations such as General Electric, TimeWarner, News Corp and Viacom collectively own hundreds of TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, cable companies and online media services. Few communities have independent daily newspapers today and their TV and radio stations are controlled by a shrinking number of owners. Some airtime on so-called "local" TV news programs is being filled with canned content produced in a single regional or national studio.

In going to battle with the FCC, the combination of CWA's political clout, its membership diversity, its grassroots ability to organize, inform and mobilize members and its inside knowledge of the world of communications and media put the union in a unique position to give voice to the concerns of millions of Americans, leaders said.

"As the union that represents journalist and other media workers, we're at the vortex of the important fight to preserve journalism and the democratic values it fosters," said TNG-CWA President Linda Foley.

The fight four years ago was largely successful. While the Republican majority on the five-member FCC tried to forge ahead changes giving more buying power to corporate media, a federal court ruling and Congress — whose members were inundated with calls, letters and e-mails — put on the brakes.

Now the FCC is reviewing the rules again. A third public hearing was held Feb. 23 in Harrisburg, Pa. Last October, NABET-CWA Vice President Jim Joyce testified before the full FCC at a hearing in Los Angeles.

"Our members know what happens when one company owns more than one TV station or a major TV station and the monopoly newspaper in the same market," Joyce told the panel. "The owner merges operations, slashes jobs and reduces the quantity and quality of the news."

For news on the latest FCC review of media ownership rules and more information about media consolidation, two excellent websites are www.freepress.net and www.stopbigmedia.com.