The Telecommunications Act of 1996 marked a major shift in the way the Federal Communications Commision, or FCC, deals with media ownership. Among its changes, the Act allowed companies to own more than one radio station within a local market and removed a limit on national radio marketshare. The result was more than 1,000 radio mergers within one year.

Since 1996, the FCC has continued on its course of deregulating media ownership. In 2003, the agency attempted its most dramatic deregulation yet, allowing cross-media ownership. That is, owning broadcast and print media within the same local market. But after a federal court struck down many of the deregulations (and the Supreme Court refused to hear multiple appeals), the FCC was told to revisit its reasoning behind relaxing its media ownership rules.

Now, the FCC appears to be ready to try this again. Chairman Kevin J. Martin has announced that he wants a vote on cross-media deregulation in the next two months.

The last time the FCC tried this, it was flooded with 3,000,000 public comments against the rule change, it went ahead with it anyway and a federal court threw out the new rules.

What will happen this time?

More on:
FCC’s new plans for deregulation here.
Promethius Radio Group (anti-deregulation activist group that won its case against the FCC’s 2003 rules) here.
Hey, I wrote a paper about the FCC and the public interest in grad school! It’s right here.

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The GAO (Government Accountability Office) announced its latest findings on Iraq yesterday. Its conclusion: things are basically negative in Iraq, and security hasn’t shown any marked improvement since “the surge” began. Not only are the Ministry of the Interior and the Baghdad police force plagued by “dysfunction,” the report says, the level of violence across the country has not decreased.

But military officials in Iraq disagree. They say that the GAO’s report does not include the most recent data, which does show a measureable decrease in sectarian violence.

So are we ever going to get a straight answer to these issues, or will opposing sides continue to discount the other’s findings?

More on:
Petraeus interviewed by Couric here.
Military officials in Iraq disagree with GAO here.
Why different people are coming up with different numbers here.
President Bush thinks “we’re kicking ass” here.

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Five months ago, it came to light that the chief anti-corruption official in Afghanistan has a less reputable past as a heroin dealer here in the U.S.

On monday of this week, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released a report showing unprecedented levels of opium production and political corruption in Afghanistan.

Hmmmm, might there be a connection here?

More on:
United Nations Office on drugs and Crime here.
U.S. reacts to report by calling the situation “very serious” here.
Guardian Unlimited article on heroin dealer chief Afghan anti-corruption official Izzatullah Wasifi here.

(audio clip from the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas)

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Late last week, the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, announced a settlement that the federal governement had reached in a suit brought against it by Jeff and Nicole Rank.

Three years ago, the Ranks attended a public rally for President Bush. They’re not supporters of the President, and wore homemade t-shirts to prove it. They were quickly escorted away in handcuffs and charged with trespassing.

The Ranks followed with a civil suit, which was dropped after the agreement was reached last week. During the case, the Administration admitted to a policy of hiding dissent from cameras and microphones, by use of anti-demonstration “rally squads.”

So, is $80,000 worth your right to express your opinion?

More on:
ABC News video from 2004 election showing that both parties are guilty of stifling dissent here.
AP story on the settlement between the Ranks and the federal government here.
The Presidential Advance Manual, which gives instructions to “rally squads” as how to best hide demonstrators from view, here (courtesy of the ACLU).

(the audio clip in today’s story is from an interview given by Jeff Rank at the 2006 ACLU Membership Conference. Hear him tell the story of what happened here.

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While stories such as Karl Rove’s resignation and the conviction of terrorism-suspect Jose Padilla dominated the news this week, there are some low-reported yet interesting research studies that were recently released. They each throw a monkey wrench into the way we perceive certain issues. Namely: Iraq, military safety and the news.

More on:
Study on shifting Iraqi attitudes here.
Comparing the security danger of official military websites and millogs here. Full documentation from the Electronic Frontier Foundation here.
Gasp! Americans like hard news here.

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Television is obsessed with Karl Rove, but the Internet is focused on Dick Cheney. A YouTube video posted a few days ago shows the Vice President thirteen years ago, saying things about Iraq that today would sound like a statement from one of his critics. He even goes as far as to say that invading Baghdad would result in a “quagmire.”

Does this really mean anything? And what will be the lasting effect of this type of footage showing up on the Internet?

More on:
the YouTube video here.

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OK, I’m the first to admit that we’re delving into less reputable topics for this week’s roundup. But at least it starts out with something you really ought to be aware of. I promise.

More on:
The Protect America Act here.
CREW’s complaint against House Minority Leader Boehner here.
Florida State Representative pleads fear of black men here.
Houston police officer trades sex for no ticket here.
Young Republican President accused of forcing sex on a sleeping man here.

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This past weekend, liberal bloggers, politicians and activists got together for YearlyKos, an annual convention held this year in Chicago.

Among the visitors this year was Sergeant David Aguina, who has put himself smack dab in the middle of a blogging slugfest by engaging in political discourse while in uniform. That kind of behavior is strictly forbidden, and he was quickly admonished for it by the speaking panel, which consisted of an Army Reserve Captain and Retired General Wesley Clark.

The conservative blogging world has been trying to spin the event as a case of progressives censoring dissenting opinion. The progressives, meanwhile, are arguing that it was purely a matter of following the law.

Lost in all of this is, of course, Sargeant Aguina’s desire to bring people together, not drive them apart. And where is he’s appearing tonight, in order to further his cause? The O’Reilly Factor.

We can only asume the bickering will continue.

More on:
Video of panel’s reaction to Sergeant Aguina here.
Video of Sergeant Aguina’s comments and subsequent interview here.
Daily Kos full account of what happened here.
Interview with Sargeant Aguina the next day here and author commentary here.

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Tomorrow, the Federal Communications Commission will decide on the rules governing a newly available portion of the radiowave spectrum, made available to the wireless industry. The airwaves will be auctioned off early next year, and will likely be the last of its kind for the next several decades.

What’s special about tomorrow is that the FCC is weighing a request from an unlikely telecom player: Google. The company would like to see a huge change in the way the FCC regulates wireless airwaves, and has promised a bid of at least $4.6 billion if its conditions are met.

Could this spell the end for frustrating cell phone limitations? Or will it just mean you’re going to get bombarded by Google advertising? Stay tuned.

More on:
Google’s plan and brief lobbying history here.
Live audio/video link to tomorrow’s FCC meeting here (begins 10am Eastern).

politics, podcasts, media | 1 Comment »

This week is all about government action.

More on today’s topics:

FBI Director Michael Mueller contradicts AG Alberto Gonzales here.
UK denies extension of music copyright laws here.
San Francisco Taxi Commission ponders then defends the Devil’s Cab.

Ooh, a Friday BONUS!!
Kanye West is really Zach Galifianakis and Will Oldham! Who knew? Check the video.

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