Dear Editor:
The Clinton administration bears a large share of responsibility for giving away public broadcasting bandwidths and allowing corporate consolidation of mass media. Now the Bush administration is pushing further consolidation.
Lack of diversity is more dangerous to democracy than any foreign dictator. We are bombarded with well orchestrated propaganda campaigns supporting every policy of our current regime, by corporate conglomerates with conflicts of interest in pending legislation. Huge amounts of money are at stake. Those who control the parameters of public debate, also determine what information is, and is not available.
Propaganda is advertising, and advertising works. Tobacco companies, forced to stop aiming ads at children, switched their target to colleges. Result; smoking is down in junior and high schools, but up about 25 percent amongst college students. Propaganda masquerading as news gets air time that advertisers can only dream of.
Democracy cannot exist without an independent media. Unless this consolidation is reversed, democracy will be dead. This is perhaps the fundamental issue of our times, but don’t expect to hear about it in the news. It is alarming to see the son of our Defense Secretary in charge of media policy.
If you think diversity in media is essential to democracy, now is the time to contact your representatives. The FCC will present its final decision on June 2; Frank Lautenberg, 202-224-3225; John Corzine, 202-224-4744; Robert Menendez, 202-225-7919.
Greg Ribot