May 03, 2004
Keynote Speech - FCC Commissioner Michael Copps

Thank you for your involvement in these issues that are so critical. The Future of Music Coalition have been all over this issue from day one. When the dust settles, you'll be enjoying the sweet smell of success. Nobody should have been surprised at musicians leading the fight against media consolidation. Musicians have always been at the forefront. These groups weight in frequently and effectively. Over 4000 artists send us a letter against media consolidation. There was a "Tell Us the Truth" tour. What a debt a gratitude we owe to those artists who gave up their time and fee, because they wanted to awaken the country to an issue they felt affected not only them as artists, but everyone in the country. They jumped into press conferences, they discussed media consolidation. I want to thank Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, Lester Chambers, and all the artists that joined in.

It took a lot of people to bring this issue to the forefront of the American conciousness. Working together you succeeded in moving it out of the Beltway and into the towns of America. Because of your efforts, millions of Americans now understand that media consolidation is not a threat - it is a reality. Big media conglomerates now own not only radio station but television, advertising firms, music productions, and even those hallowed firms on the internet that were supposed to be forever free. It is just plain bad for America.

What's good for America is the kind of citizen action that you became part of. You participated in mobilizing an army of people who went to do something about it - and made it a national issue. You've already made a difference. Part of it can be seen over at the FCC. The FCC must explain its acts to a far more informed citizenry than it did just a year ago.

Another part of the difference you made can be seen up on Capitol Hill. U.S. Senate has voted to overturn the FCC decision in its entirety. Another difference can be seen in the courts. They looked at the rules passed on June 2nd, and is now in the final process of writing a decision on what to do about it.

But now we must move beyond congratulations to challenge. Big media isn't slowing down. Its lobbying armies are stronger than ever. It's time to do something about media consolidation to make sure the public airwaves serve the public interest. Don't take the luxury of sitting back. The time to fix it is now, or the consolidation genie will be out of the bottle, and that genie is hungry for every merger. The deals are already struck between the papers and stations, the stations and broadcasters. They're just waiting for this bill to be passed out of the door. And it will happen without your involvement.

Increasingly big media owns the very creativity that goes into the mass media. They own the distribution, content, mass production, and creativity itself. Anything with the name "indepdendent" on it seems to be on the endangered species list. That's why I'd like to see something like 30% of airtime put aside for independent producers. [[applause]]

More independent programming would also be a boon to localism, competition, and diversity. Basic building blocks for a thriving American society and we can not afford not to have them. They are essential for the vitality of American civil dialoge. Your FCC ought to be nourishing those American traits instead of subverting them.

I see a technonic shift in policy in a whole range of issues, in the wrong direction. Putting too much power in the hands of too few people. Entertainment homogenization. The FCC is shortchanging its responsibility to protect the public interest.

Many in this audience are feeling the effects of media consolidation as you seek to get your product out to a wide audience. Radio deregulation gives us powerful lessons - creating real problems - I think all experts would agree. It created some economic efficiencies and perhaps kept some stations from growing dark. That's why many congressmen and senators voted like they did. But it went far beyond what anyone expected. Conglomerates now own most radio stations all across the nation. There are 1/3 fewer radio station owners today than there were a few years ago. And minority ownership is going the way of being a historical curiosity.

Rather than learn the lessons of media consolidation, the FCC chose to allow this Clear Channel-ization. [names the bleak outlook of how consolidated media would be allowed to be with the new bill]. The very same problems of media consolidation are going to be affecting the internet, too. We better be trying to do something about that problem right now.

So who's going to control the media, of what quality, and for what purposes? How are we going to insure that we have a diversified entertainment that's going to show the creative genius of this country? The issues boil down to whether a few will control. Gatekeeper control. Incredibly huge stakes.

This is only the latest, though the most radical step, in a 20-year history of undermining the public interest when it comes to the big media. The first was in the 80's, when the chairman said a TV is nothing more than a toaster with pictures. Step-by-step, rule-by-rule, bit-by-bit, we have allowed the dismantling of the public interest to allow media consolidation. Safeguards are whittling away. License restrictions are a joke. Used to require that local station owner to go out, even though he lived in the community, needed to ask that community what they wanted to hear. Why don't we bring that back. The fairness doctrine. Providing diversity in programming. All these things have gone by the boards. I'm trying to make this license renewal process an honest process. It's called "Lifeguard" - for a good reason. Every 3 years they'd have to go through a dozen things before you'd get your license. Then the 3 years when to 5 years. Now that 5 years when to 8 years. Then those dozen things whittled down to none. You can file an informal complaint with the FCC and we're bound to look at them.

The commission has looked more and more at the marketplace. It's fine that the media industry makes a buck. But the airwaves that belong to someone else - the people. It's a very special industry. When its foundation stones begin to crack, then it's time we wake up and do something about it. The heart and soul are going out of our media. Instead of disciplining media consolidation or encouraging diversity, we are taking the public interest out of the discussion. We heard from creative artists who couldn't get airtime for their music. We heard from creative programmers that couldn't get a job. Everywhere we went we heard from independent stations about to be taken over by big media. Smaller, independent broadcasters will be the first casualties of this.

What's that impact of that small local broadcaster? The only option will be to sell out. Those that remain are going to have a very tough road. Not good for them, you, me.

Then there's the issue of local artists getting airtime. You've heard that without a major label contract you can forget about getting airtime. We've heard from artists who even have major label contracts but can't get airtime in their home state due to media consolidation. These consolidations are preventing so much music from getting on the public airwaves. The commission's going to launch an investigation on localization. On this issue if you have stories you can share, I hope you do so. We should investigate allegations of pay-for-play. Analyze if media consolidation makes this problem worse. People who have suffered from this are going to have to come forward. We've got to have specificity on what's actually going on out there. I would hope that artists across the country would consider it.

Now there is an additional way for you to be involved with these issues. The potential of digital TV for diversity is enormous and its rewards can be significant. There's this huge gap out there - how does the public get served? What I'd like to see us do is continue the discussion we had about digital television. There are 217 stations already multicasting. The public doesn't know what to expect about how to run these. I'm pleased to see Public Interest Public Airwaves Coalition. (http://www.mediachannel.org/new/)

Low-power FM - these community-based stations are helping in signifiant ways to meet the needs of community. More outlets for independent artists' music. Chairman of the FCC announced that they were going to license more low-power FM stations.

In closing, as we approach the one-year mark since the vote last June 2nd, I am encouraged and enthusiastic. If we keep the grassroots pressure on, we can make a difference. In their rush to loosen the rules, they woke a sleeping giant - the American people. People got mad at the secretive stealth process to change media consolidation. The issue wasn't heard to figure out at all. 2.3 million people contacted the FCC to voice their displeasure. 99.9% opposed to media consolidation, in a time when we're otherwise so divisive.

It all comes down to you. Stepping up your efforts. Not just contining your efforts.
Posted by derek at May 3, 2004 09:55 AM

"The FCC must explain its acts to a far more informed citizenry than it did just a year ago."

DAMN STRAIGHT!

(and do not forget that the REST of the govt./agencies ALSO have to explain a LOT!)

And, we get MORE AND MORE informed each and every day!

"Then there's the issue of local artists getting airtime. You've heard that without a major label contract you can forget about getting airtime. We've heard from artists who even have major label contracts but can't get airtime in their home state due to media consolidation. These consolidations are preventing so much music from getting on the public airwaves. The commission's going to launch an investigation on localization. On this issue if you have stories you can share, I hope you do so. We should investigate allegations of pay-for-play. Analyze if media consolidation makes this problem worse. People who have suffered from this are going to have to come forward. We've got to have specificity on what's actually going on out there. I would hope that artists across the country would consider it."


DAMNIT COPPS, ONE DAY YOU ARE MY HERO, THEN I HATE YOU (censorship) THEN I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU ALL OVER AGAIN!

Danny Goldberg said it best: "Copps is the hero of the consolidation issue, and with censorship he's the villain!"

I have never understood Copp's obsession with indecency. This flies smack in the traditional power base and financial support from Hollywood liberals. I guess all definitions of Republicans and Democrats have been flipped.

Nonethless, I'm sure Bill Hudson will agree, the FMOC was from beginning-to-end a unanimous condemnation of media corporate greed. (esp. Clear Channel. Guaranteed to get an ovation from the songwriter-dominated audience.)

The censorship issue is nonstop daily bad news. Regrettably, I have come to the conclusion that the only answer is a clean sweep of all five Commissioners of the FCC. That starts with a change of regime in the White House.

Gotta agree with ya on that Tom. If we only got "half" of Copps, I would rather have a bran spanking new "Fab 5" than have a half of one of them.

Shmoo

Tom, since you were there...could you write something about Cary Sherman's speech and how he was received at the FOM seminar?

independentm, as to radio time, well its out there. Were I will be this Saturday in Lexington,KY there is a cool radio station, WRVG, 100,000 watts, and they have no format! They're saying is ,FREE THE MUSIC, very cool
And there are a lot of more out there. Do a search for WoodSongs radio. A friend of mine owns it and it has helped me out a ton.
As to what FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said, ....well what I got from it he was sounding the warning bell. Another words keep your eyes open and make your voice be heard!
Still Pickin'
Bill Hudson

1$ short and a day late is what I am afraid of billhudson.

I am VERY GLAD when I hear about the "holdout" station in various communities. Almost each state in this union has heard of one (WDVX in east Tn. we are BLESSED with!)

but we need MORE of them...

Consolidation of the media KILLS democracy. (Even if it is DISNEY that does it...)

Give up the goods Tom.

I am not sure what you mean independentm, "$1 sort and a day late". If that means by radio, well look at it this way, instead of trying the big radio stations that are hard to get into, try the ones that are cool. Keep up your files (mine so far are 1,288 stations world wide) and keep in contact with the DJ's. Its there and a ton of work but the DJ's are looking all the time for new stuff.
Still Pickin'
Bill H.

Regarding this statement, "We've heard from artists who even have major label contracts but can't get airtime in their home state due to media consolidation."

How is this possible? Major labels are very much a part of the consolidation machine...NBC/Universal, Sony/BMG (Sony also owns CBS Records, formerly of CBS Corporation, a television and radio broadcaster, and Columbia Pictures; which is a major player in the motion picture industry), Warner Music Group (aka. Warner Bros, aka. Time Warner Cable, aka. AOL,) etc. These are just a few examples.

Major labels have affiliations and connections to the corporate entities that are lobbying for media consolidation. I find it hard to believe that an artist signed to a major label would have a problem getting airplay due to consolidation. This does not add up. Major labels are a big part of the corporate media machine, especially when it comes to getting radio airplay, and easy access to the mass media.

They actually benefit from media consolidation, because big radio only plays music distributed by major labels.