Plotting A Course For Iowa Media Activists
by Dave BradleyOne of the biggest problems that faces this country in my humble opinion is that there is a total lack of diversity of media opinion in this country. Like me, you have probably shouted at your TV or radio a time or two: “Tell the damned truth” or “Tell the whole story.”
If you have followed this column you will note that this is my major theme. Democrats have great ideas, but they must be sold and the media is the messenger. It is just that 95% of the media is owned by those who purposely bury or distort our message. They are in control of the media and as such package their ‘product’ to sell or not sell as they desire.
We need to at least control some media. The government will not simply hand over some properties. Since these are privately owned properties I can’t imagine any way it could be done.
Since this is the time of year for reassessment and renewal, it seems to me to be a good time to review and possibly plot a course for Iowa activists.
Print media: While this was the backbone of the Revolution, cost and speed of communication has made print media very tricky as the horse to ride. There are good magazines such as The Nation and Mother Jones. I would strongly suggest people subscribe to either or both as a good basis of progressive thought.
Television: Well, it is a very expensive proposition. I will openly admit I know little about telecasting. One avenue to explore is to make sure that if you have a local access cable channel progressives have at least a weekly program on it. Also, there are at least two good alternative programs on satellite and some cable companies. They are FreeSpeechTV (FSTV) and LinkTV. Sending them a few bucks could really help them expand their reach and improve programming. If you are not familiar with their services, I recommend that you check them out here freespeech.org or here linktv.org/
Radio: There may be some openings here. Low-Power FM (LPFM) which would have allowed local small radio stations to exist on unoccupied FM frequencies needed to be reapproved by the 111th congress. While the House passed the bill (Local Community Radio Act) back in early 2009, the senate has refused to budge on it. Like so many other bills in this session, a few senators have held up passage through the use of an instrument in the senate called “secret hold.” Because it is a ‘secret’ the identity of the holding senator is very difficult to unmask. As such the bill will probably end up buried. We have sent out many appeals to call Harkin and Grassley to see if the holder can be unmasked. I will ask again – please call Harkin’s office and Grassley’s office to see if the secret hold can be rescinded and this bill acted on. LPFM could be a game changer for us.
Internet: Well, there are really great possibilities here provided that internet neutrality is maintained. And that is not guaranteed. Next week (Dec. 21) is the next open meeting of the FCC. The first item on the agenda is “Open Internet Order:” There is much discussion whether the proposed rule will be strong enough. We need to keep internet neutrality in effect. Please add your name to the petition from the Save The Internet campaign
Internet neutrality opens the possibility of a much more accessible internet radio. With the invention of mobile internet, the probability that the next car you have may have access to internet radio is a good one. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to tune in progressive radio in your car?
This needs to be a major focus next year. Right now the progressive wing is much like the proverbial tree falling in the forest. If no one hears us, do we make a sound? I happen to believe that we are truly the majority, but we need to be heard. E-mail Dave here Dave Bradley is a self-described
retired observer of American politics “trying to figure out how we got
so screwed up.” An
Iowa City native currently living in West Liberty, Dave and his wife
Carol have two grown children who “sadly had to leave the state to find
decent paying jobs.“
[Note from the editors: To get started, check out previous BFIA posts on media; this is not a complete list]
Who owns your local radio station?
www.northpine.com/broadcast/ia/rmarkets.html
Radio Stations in Iowa
www.ontheradio.net
Iowa Broadcasters Association
http://www.iowabroadcasters.com/resource/ibadir10.pdf
The Public and Broadcasting: How to Get the Most Service from Your Local Station
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/public_and_broadcasting.html
The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/06/talk_radio.html
Study: Localism Key to Correcting Conservative Talk Radio Imbalance
http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2009/2/23/4101530.html
Is Conservative Talk Being Rammed Down Iowans' Throats?
http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2010/6/22/4559319.html
Pew Research on Health Care Reform Validates Need for Media Reform
http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2010/6/28/4564588.html
Powell Memo
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/powell_memo_lewis.html
Grassley letter to Genachowski
http://www.votesmart.org/speech_detail.php?sc_id=490012&keyword=&phrase=&contain=
Prometheus Radio Project
http://prometheusradio.org/
BFIA & Fallon Forum Take On Right Wing Talk Radio In Iowa
http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2010/7/15/4578177.html
Dave Bradley's writings on the history of the stolen media:
Iowa
in the Age of Consolidated Media
Getting
Our Message Out: Fighting Fire with FM (and Net Neutrality)
The
Great Surprise – The Telecommunications Act of 1996
The
Plane Facts About Media: What I Learned While in Flight
A
Brief History of Media Consolidation
Observations
on the Media in Iowa
Blog For Iowa 