Press, Public

1
Press, Public Politics

• Ownership, Regulation, andGuidance of Media

2
Overview

• Ownership of Media
• Media Regulation
• Print
• Non Print
• Guidance

3
Ownership

• How important is media ownership?
• Should ownership be public (i.e., the
  government) or private (individual
  investors/corporations)?

4
Ownership

• Advantages of Government Control
• Disadvantages?

5
Ownership

• 1934 Communications Act
• -- Created the FCC
• -- Required licensing for broadcast rights
• -- Limited ownership of licenses

-- Standardized telephone infrastructure
regulations (strongly favoring ATT, the
dominant player in the field)
6
Ownership

• 1996 Telecommunications Act
• Complete overhaul of federal policy in 5 key
  areas
• radio and television broadcasting
• cable television
• telephone services
• internet and online computer services
• telecommunications equipment manufacturing

7
Radio Television

• Removed limits on number of stations that
  individuals or companies can own
• Lengthened licensing to 8 years
• Changed application policy to favor incumbent
  licensees over new applicants competing
  applications are rejected unless FCC determines
  that current licensee has not fulfilled terms of
  license.
• Implemented ratings for sexual and/or violent
  content

8
Cable and Telephone

• Lifted rate caps on cable subscriptions if cable
  had competition from alternative providers
• Telephone providers can use lines to provide
  video and/or audio programming
• Each of the 7 regional Bell companies can now
  offer long distance service (for first time since
  1984 break up of ATT)
• Long distance carriers can provide local service

9
Internet and Online Computer Services

• Title V of the Act included the Communications
  Decency Act which made internet pornography
  illegal
• Included criminal penalties for anyone
  distributing material objectionable to minors
• This section later ruled unconstitutional by the
  Supreme Court (Reno vs. ACLU 1997)

10
Media Ownership

• Media Consolidation 2006
• Data from The Nation
• Data from Mother Jones

11
Media Ownership

• What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of
  greater media concentration?

12
Regulation

• Media regulation in terms of content is limited
  by proscriptions of the First Amendment, with
  some exceptions
• national security
• censorship permissible if protects national
  security

13
Regulation

• fair trial issues
• protect witnesses
• protect accused

14
Regulation

• Beyond the Pale unprotected press
• Libel
• Pornography

15
Regulation

• Print vs Non-print media
• Print has greater protection
• Non-print, distinction between finite and
  non-finite transmission mode
• Broadcast vs cable/satellite
• More restrictions on broadcast

16
Regulation

• The licensing provision provides an alternative
  means to regulate content and performance.
• For instance educational programming, equal
  time provisions, program content ratings,
  v-chip blocking have all been required at
  various points in US history.

17
Regulation

• Regulation of media is also provided by
  non-government sources
• Market
• Media watchdog groups e.g., AIM, FAIR,
  MediaMatters
• Citizen pressure groupsItchy Scratchy Marge

18
Regulation

• The licensing provision provides an alternative
  means to regulate content and performance.
• For instance educational programming, equal
  time provisions, program content ratings,
  v-chip blocking have all been required at
  various points in US history.