Our democracy has been with dealt a heavy blow by the FCC with its' recent ruling to allow large media corporations to buy up more TV stations, newspapers and radio stations.

Three political appointnees to the Federal Communications Commission are the ones that dealt this recent blow that will surely undermine this country's sense of free speech by a free press. Amazingly and very disturbing is the fact that the FCC has done this without public review and without the American people receiving compensation in return for their public airwaves.

Under the FCC deal, big media companies will not have to make a commitment to provide better news much less even unbiased news. The same with local news and children's programming. What is so disturbing is the fact that the new rules dramatically worsen opportunities for local news coverage, diversity of different views, and especially competition. fl'he Doesn't this remind you of the old robber barons slogan of ages ago, "public be damned?" slogan from the Gilded Age.

These "enlightened" commissioners have removed the ban on broadcasting and newspaper cross-ownership. They raised the national cap on audience reach by station groups owners to 45 percent. Corporations will now will able to own two stations in more markets and three in a handful of markets.

Now this is what is greatly disturbing. The airwaves belong to the American public, not hte corporations. Yet, these corporations have layed claim to them. The new rules allow new merger possibilities without any public-interest review. This is deplorable and a huge insult to Americans.

Here is what the new rules mean. One company can now own UFH TV stations in 199 of the 210 TV markets. This basically means that one corporation could own 95% of the television stations in this country. Think of all that power in the hands of one corporation headed by Chairman and a few board of directors this will create. This means that a single corporation owning all of these stations could influence the elections for 98 U.S. Senators, 382 members of the House of Representative, 49 governors, 49 state legislators and the list goes on and on of what they could control.

Before this new ruling, under the old rules, one corporation could have too much power by being able to influence the elections in 76 U.S. senate races, 182 hous races, 38 governor races, and 38 state legislators. And that is what happened in the last elections.

What does this mean on a local basis?

This cross owernship of all these news media outlets means that local areas, one company could own its leading daily newspaper and many times its only newspaper, along with its top market television station in the area, the local cable company and as an extra five to eight radio stations, all in any American city.

To protect from this sort of influence and power from one group or men, previsouly the rules would not allow no TV or newspaper mergers except when a firm was failing or in bankruptcy.

These New Rulings Will Create Monopolies and Abuses

The mergers of dominant newspapers and tv stations will create new monopolies in over 200 meida marktes that serve 98 percent of American. What this means America is, you previously felt the major news media was biased, well its going to get even wose and you will be fed news only what the "giants" and "powerplayers" in this country what you to hear. Much worse, what they want you to believe which is very disturbing.

How Do I Know What This Will Cause? The Past Events Show The Proof.

Several years ago, the FCC chanegd the rules to allow one company to own as many radio stations as it wanted. The results prove what I just stated earlier. The local markets were monopolized with basically THREE national companies owning over 50% of the radio stations in America and in which htey basically abandoned local news coverage and emergency services notices. I bet you didn't know that did you?

During the 911 attack and recent major castatrophes in the U.S. such as tornado damage, there is no local radio emergency notices from local radio stations. Why? Because it is all automated at some central data bank that pumps the same music and programming to 100 other radio stations. There are very few "biggie" radio stations left in America that are still independent and not owned by a conglomerate. WRAL in North Carolina is one that still has local celebrities with local programming. However, even these independents will eventually be "squeezed out". For Sale signs are alerady going up on many of them because the stations owners know one thing, either sell now or lose everything they have worked so hard for in their local areas.

More Power In The Hands Of The Few and Fewer Journalist Spells Trouble

Now that three corporation will be able to owns 95% of market news media, this means fewer journalists and independent ones will be reporting on many things, including exposing fraud, corruption of politicians and the list goes on and on of what will not be reported. Why? The executives of these corporation that own these news media corporations are also heavy contributors to politicians. Its the old story, "stratch my back and I'll stratch yours", but the stratching is what you, the American public will no longer receive in honest news reporting. You thought much had been not been reported by the news media before. Now, much more will now be hidden from you.

There Is Some Light At The The Of This Dark Tunnell.

There is a small saving factor in all of this and it is the internet. These corporations will not be able to control the independent journalists on the internet. However, we independent journalists will eventually suffer as well. Most of us will be dropped by these corporations because we won't play ball by only reporting on certain things and not reporting on others. A few will be kept so that a "front" can be given on some issues to make you the American public not see how your truly being manipulated.

There is some good news recently. The nation is finally starting to wake up to atrocity against the American public. The FCC has received hundreds of thousands of protests and complaints. Some what I term, honest Congressman, both Democrats and Republicans are also alarmed. Groups such as Common Cause, The National Rifle Association and the Screen ACtors Guild are enraged over this ruling.

What OtherJournalists Are Saying

One of Ameicas more thoughtful, but often suprizing conversative columnist, William Safire of the New York TImes recently stated, "the concentration of power, either political, corporate, media, cultural - should not be ignored by conversatives." And John Roberts of the Chicago Tribune also recently stated that he deplores the "blantantly disingenous, if not dishonest, explanations being given by FCC Chairman Michael Powell and his"supporters" for thier actions" Do I need to tell you who Powell's supporters are? Well I'll tell you anyway. Over the last three years, the media comglomerates have spent over $80 million in the last year on loddyinf for this and over $25 million in political contributions to certain Senators and Congressman, with whopping donations to the Republican Presidential Election Fund.

What Must Be Done Now - You Must Act!

The FCC has in my opinion has done more than just make a mistake, they have insulted the American public for greed.