Let's Play Monopoly!

by Michael Shaw Wednesday, Jun. 18, 2003 at 9:05 AM
mshaw@bagnews.com

FCC Hands Over Keys To Boardwalk, Park Place

Let's Play Monopoly!

FCC Hands Over Keys To Boardwalk, Park Place

6.9.03 -- In focusing narrowly on the FCC media consolidation ruling, most reports overlook the most obvious aspect of the story: the role of the FCC.

In this case, what Michael Powell did was take a regular, mandated review process intended to enforce the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and use it to undermine the ownership rules he is responsible to watchguard.

Sadly, the FCC is supposed to protect the bank, not give it away.The story also tends to overlook another fact. The FCC does not exist to referee "free parking" on America's broadcast spectrum. It is supposed to regulate the use of the airwaves in the public interest. In exchange for the right to utilize bandwidth, the agency is ideally tasked with getting things in return, such as: quality childrens programming, public service content, public access, and free airtime for candidates and election activity.

Besides serving the corporate interest at the expense of the community chest, its worth noting the FCC has also enriched itself . According to the Center for Public Integrity, in the past eight years, members of the agency have taken a $2.8 million dollar travel and entertainment ride on Big Media's railroad.