AFTRA Leads Labor Coalition in Conducting Review of FCC Ownership Studies.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2002

Cite Attack On Diversity and Local Interests

A group of labor organizations representing professionals in the broadcast, communications and entertainment industries have retained the services of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in order to review and critique the data released in various ownership studies by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week.

Representing the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America (TNG-CWA), the AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees (DPE) and the Writers Guild of America/East (WGAE), AFTRA National Executive Director Greg Hessinger said, "We are not convinced that the conclusions drawn about diversity of viewpoints between jointly owned outlets are comprehensive enough or reflect the `real world' of the consolidation that has already taken place."

The studies were released by the FCC in advance of an announced rule making relative to existing rules that limit ownership of broadcast media. Organizations fear that these rules may be eradicated under the current Commission. The unions also endorsed a recommendation by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps that public hearings on media ownership be held around the country before the Commission makes its final recommendations on the rules.

Hessinger added, "Labor has already witnessed the evils of media consolidation. In the wake of the last wave of deregulation, colossal changes have occurred. Ownership consolidation has severely reduced diversity of voices in the marketplace, marginalized the interests of local communities and restricted access to distribution outlets for creative talent. Moreover, the acquisition debt-laden conglomerates that now dominate the industry have ushered in a period of severe cost cutting with a single-minded focus on the bottom line, all at the expense of the public interest they are purportedly bound to serve."

"We already have seen the adverse impact of media conglomerates on the quality and depth of journalism," said Linda Foley, President of TNG-CWA. "Any relaxation of ownership restrictions will further denigrate the quality and diversity of information received by the public and will have grave consequences for the free and open debate necessary to sustain a democratic society." She added that the labor organizations expect to file responsive comments with the FCC within the next couple of weeks.

"We have seen what deregulation has done to our telecommunications, airline, and energy industries," said Paul Almeida, President, DPE. "The very cornerstone of our democracy rests on the FCC meeting its obligation to protect the public interest by ensuring the diversity of voices and localism. Any step closer to loosening these rules or deregulating these markets is a step in the wrong direction."

AFTRA is a diverse union representing 80,000 actors, broadcasters, recording artists and other professionals in television, radio, sound recordings, commercials, non-broadcast/industrial programming and new technologies such as interactive programming and CD ROMs.

The CWA represents more than 700,000 communications, media and other workers, including more than 25,000 journalists in The Newspaper Guild, in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

DPE is a coalition of 23 national unions representing over 4 million professional, technical and other highly skilled white-collar workers.

WGA/E protects and defends the rights of about 11,000 writers -- the 11,000 men and women who are responsible for virtually everything that's seen and heard on film and television.