Bold Analysis, Weak Solution

The Federal Communications Commission has finally released its much anticipated report on the “Information Needs of Communities” (aka the “Future of Media Report”). The 400-page report is a wide-ranging look at the media landscape with an eye toward two questions: whether people and communities are getting the news and information they need, and whether current media policy is furthering local public interest goals.

The Future of Media Report is significant in a number of respects. First, the analysis is one of the most comprehensive to come out of the FCC or any other agency on this topic. This is in large part due to the open and inclusive process staked out by Steve Waldman, the report’s author, as well as to the countless hours that the entire Future of Media team spent listening to diverse stakeholders.

Also remarkable is that the FCC (an agency that generally avoids criticizing the powerful industries it regulates) was so candid in its critique of the media industry, broadcast television and the agency itself. Indeed, the report’s findings vindicate what media reform groups, consumer groups and citizens themselves have been saying for years: Many broadcast stations aren't doing local news; paid propaganda is rampant on the airwaves; and the FCC doesn't always protect the public interest. But on balance, the report disappoints. The report recognizes problems, but punts on concrete proposals to fix them and on the FCC’s general responsibility to promote a vibrant media system.