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Win for Independent Media
Posted on September 23, 2004
From the Center for Creative Voices in Media (CCVM):
Today, in a victory for media reformers, independent creative artists, and the American public, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to direct the FCC to set “minimum quantitative guidelines” for the broadcast of “independently produced programming” as well as electoral and locally-produced programming. Introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), this public interest amendment won votes from both sides of the aisle to pass 13-10.
The Public Interest, Public Airwaves Coalition, of which CCVM is a founding member, was instrumental in securing the passage of this critical first step in the establishment of strong public interest obligations for America’s broadcasters, including the obligation to air programming produced by independents. As Common Cause President Chellie Pingree pledged after the vote, “We and our reform colleagues will work hard to ensure that today’s Senate vote leads to FCC approval of strong public interest guidelines.”
CCVM is pleased that the national media reform movement has adopted the production of broadcast programming by independents as a fundamental plank of its media reform agenda. We look forward to working with media reformers to continue educating Washington policymakers on the need to provide the American public with programming from a wide diversity of program sources, not just the network conglomerates.
Learn more about media reform through The Just Media Project.