The critters are back on the Hill after an Independence Day vacation and some of the items on the legislative slate are bills that would repeal part or all of the FCC’s media ownership rule changes.
The National Rifle Association mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to flood the FCC with post cards, so Free Press is automating the call-your-congresscritter process, providing everything but the call to make your opinion known on these bills, in three minutes or less.
From Bob McChesney’s call to action:
Because one million Americans raised their voices against the FCC decision, the Senate Commerce Committee recently sent a bill to the Senate floor for a vote that would roll back many of the rules. Today the challenge is to get that bill to the floor of the Senate and House for a vote.
Take 3 Minutes to Stop Media Monopoly: Phone It In.
Call your Congressional representatives and demand that they support the rollback. One phone call from a constituent is more effective than scores of email petitions.
“Roll Back the FCC” legislation now has 38 supporters in the Senate (out of 100). We need 51 for passage.
The House bills have the overlapping support of 65 cosponsors on HR 2462 and 146 on HR 2052. We need 216 for passage.
In other news, Free Press has launched something called its “Independent Media Campaign,” properly vague enough at this point but seems to be an effort to secure a government commitment (read $) for expanded non-commercial public media. There’s sure to be plenty of action on this front in the future, once this congressional session is over and budget-wrangling begins anew.