City of Philadelphia - File #: 060782

• File #: 060782
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 10/19/2006
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 10/19/2006
• Title: Supporting diversity in media ownership by urging the Federal Communications Commission to preserve rules that encourage local ownership, ensuring diverse viewpoints are represented in the media, to hold fair and open public hearings on media ownership in Philadelphia, and to urge members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to use its authority to overturn any actions by the FCC that are not in the best interests of Philadelphians.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Council President Verna, Council President Verna, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember O'Neill

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
10/19/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED

Title
Supporting diversity in media ownership by urging the Federal Communications Commission to preserve rules that encourage local ownership, ensuring diverse viewpoints are represented in the media, to hold fair and open public hearings on media ownership in Philadelphia, and to urge members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to use its authority to overturn any actions by the FCC that are not in the best interests of Philadelphians.
Body
WHEREAS, Freedom of the press and public access to diverse media are prerequisites for a functioning democracy; and

WHEREAS, The broadcast airwaves are owned commonly by the public, and should be managed to serve the public interest; and

WHEREAS, The public interest is best served by the availability of a broadly diverse range of viewpoints; and

WHEREAS, Media diversity is seriously threatened by further consolidation of media ownership in an already highly concentrated market; and

WHEREAS, Deregulation of radio ownership rules under the Telecommunications Act caused unprecedented consolidation, dramatically decreasing competition; and

WHEREAS, Hispanics or Latinos comprise 14 percent of the entire U.S. population, but only own a total of 15 stations, or 1.11 percent of all stations; and

WHEREAS, Blacks or African Americans comprise 13 percent of the entire U.S. population but only own a total of 18 stations, or 1.3 percent of all stations; and

WHEREAS, Asians comprise 4 percent of the entire U.S. population but only own a total of 6 stations, or 0.44 percent of all stations; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission is currently accepting public comment on media ownership rules, following an attempt by the agency to significantly weaken ownership limits in 2003, including but not limited to rules which forbid companies from owning newspapers and TV stations, rules which capped the number of television and radio stations owned in the same media market and rules barring f...