Public Expresses Frustration Over Broadcast Media

PUBLIC EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION OVER BROADCAST MEDIA
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times 9/4, AUTHOR: Meg James meg.james@latimes.com]
Deep frustration over the media's often frivolous and occasionally insensitive broadcasts bubbled over late last week in Los Angeles as a parade of speakers spent 4 1/2 hours imploring two federal regulators to enforce higher standards and halt any further consolidation of radio and television station ownership. Nearly 250 people showed up for a hearing at the University of Southern California, one of several across the country that will be held as the Federal Communications Commission embarks, yet again, on an overhaul of media ownership rules. FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein received an earful from dozens of speakers, who asserted that the consolidation of station ownership had led to a pronounced decline in in-depth news reporting, diversity of viewpoints and quality children's programming. The hearing was the first of four that Copps and Adelstein are planning to specifically address the concerns of Latinos. Los Angeles is home to the nation's largest Latino population -- 1.8 million households, according to Nielsen Media Research. The two FCC members plan other such hearings this year in New York, Chicago and Austin, Texas. The full FCC is expected to vote on the media ownership rules next year. The issue is considered a test for FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, who took the helm last year
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc4sep04,1,3888365.story?coll=la-headlines-business
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