Media for PROFIT is U$ELE$$

I attended the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Forum last week upon hearing that there would be 2 commissioners of the Federal Department stopping in Milwaukee on a nationwide tour. For those of you who are unsure about the business of the FCC, they are at the top of the decision making board for how media works in this country. As the FCC finally made the decision that new rules must be made in regulation of the media, Free Press sponsored the tour of the two commissioners to hear locals opinions about the current state of the media. I personally felt that this was extremely important to get out and see because of my own feelings about the situation with a corporate take over on the level of mass media. My main problem with the fusion of business and media is the objective of the latter when profit become the main goal. We have seen a steady decrease in the validity, depth, and worth of media stories (most espcially on t.v., the most poplar source of news), since the FCC allowed corporate investment in media stock. The necessity of diversity in viewpoint, and reportage on local events is so essential to an objective-based and democratic media system. However, what we're seeing is quite the opposite. The same stories are being reported on evry channel of the 6'0 clock news, and those stories are most usually tinted with sensationalism because of the hunger for ratings and profit. When news becomes more about ratings than portraying valid and in-depth current events that are extremely pertinent to the people, something is seriously wrong. Besides the news itself, I have a problem with stationsm giving too much time to commerical breaks as another way of increased revenue. When 5 corporations (Fox and Viacom being the largest) that are running our t.v. and radio outlets, diversity no longer exists, and local communities suffer due to the lack of coverage and support by something as critical as the media. As an activist and a person of color, I find it appalling that Milwaukee has one independent radio station, and I find public stations are no solution to the problem. Something must be done, and I feel like people's testimony was being heard on Thursday night. Now, I just pray that they are taken to heart despite the luring golden carrot that corporations continue to hold in front of the FCC.