Regulating the Media

I should've linked to this column by Eric Alterman last week, but here it is, better late than never, right? Alterman details how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has enacted a massive deregulation program during the Bush administration. Television and radio stations are now fewer in number than 10 years ago, and they are owned by fewer entities. According to Alterman, Clear Channel owns over 1200 stations! That's obscene. Clear Channel has also been known for its generous contributions to GOP candidates. This is a huge problem that very few people now about. The mainstream media is where most Americans receive their information regarding matters of state. Any idiot can tell you that the fewer ownership oppurtunities there are, the fewer viewpoints there will be available to the public. Scary stuff...