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Economic pressure is producing the prospect of yet another incident of concentration of power in the media. This time it’s not proposed rules that would allow monopolistic ownership of broadcast stations (although that fight is never really over); it’s the effort of Gannett Co. to buy up the Tribune Co., the owner of 11 newspapers and 28 television stations. Among the holdings: the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and Newsday. Gannett already owns 102 newspapers, including USA Today, the Ithaca Journal, the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin and the Elmira Star Gazette, as well as 22 television stations in the U.S. Other media giants, such as the Hearst Corp., are also interested in acquiring the Tribune Co.

Too much control of our news in too few hands is a danger to our traditions and our democracy. Ultimately, it means we all read the same stories, the same editorial slant, the same columnists, the same recycled news releases, and the same bland puff pieces that pass for “news.” A media without diversity, without differing points of view, without sufficient local focus is a media in name only. It is the antithesis of our proud tradition of a robust, independent and competitive free press.

There are many avenues to confront this trend toward consolidated media ownership. One, of course is the Internet and its incredible ability to widely broadcast views and news to huge numbers of people. However, even that is threatened by the largest corporate giants such as Verizon and AT&T who are lobbying strongly to abolish the doctrine of Network Neutrality and allow, for example, telecom providers to favor those websites and search engines that pay them the highest service fees. Although the recent Congressional election is somewhat reassuring in this regard, let us not forget that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

We, as individuals can play an active role in the fight for a free press. We can support our local and independent alternative media, both print and web based, by reading their publications, contributing content and patronizing their advertisers and sponsors.

The stakes are high. Help preserve a robust, healthy, diverse and intelligent press. Fight media consolidation and support independent and corporation free newspapers, websites, radio and TV.

Marty Luster, Co-editor
POSITIVE NEWS U.S.
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