DOES ONE CORPORATION OWN ALL THE BLACK RADIO STATIONS IN YOUR TOWN? WHAT YOU CAN (& MUST) DO ABOUT IT!

Submitted by Karen J. Bond on May 12, 2007 - 12:29am.
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This session will be on: June 30, 2007 - 3:30pm

It will be held at: Auditorium - Fourth Floor room at the Auburn Avenue Research Library

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Organization Description

The “National Black Coalition For Media Justice" (NBCMJ) is building a national campaign around the issue of media justice and media access for the Black community. NBCMJ focuses on addressing media justice issues from the unique perspective of people of color. This coalition represents a force that can demand accountability from media outlets that seek to attract Black audiences. It has established a supportive framework for people of color working together on a national basis with greater coordination and collaboration to identify and address media justice concerns. Our objectives include: a) Setting a "media agenda" for people of color (identifying problems and opportunities) b) Structuring a national network for people of color to determine priorities and act on issues c) Prioritizing people of color gaining access to, and control of, media resources (these resources include mainstream media and as well as the avenues to make our own media). We invite the participation of all communities seeking media justice. Nationwide collaboration will help win local media justice battles across the country because there is strength in numbers. Issues we are addressing include: ~ TO PROMOTE legislation that will limit the number of media outlets a company can own in one city; ~ TO IMPROVE the content of public television/radio so that it is a more useful resource for the Black community (The Public Broadcasting Service was originally mandated by Congress in 1967 to serve the needs of "the underserved", "specifically minorities and children". Instead, this publicly owned resource has been geared disproportionately toward the interests of the white community.); ~ TO DEVELOP our own media and increase media ownership for people of color (for example, coordinating the effort to pool the considerable resources of the Black community to buy a national television network as Blacks have done in Brazil); ~ TO SECURE cheap high-speed Internet access for all communities (as was recently done in Philadelphia); ~ TO ELIMINATE cable company monopolies because true competition will reduce cable prices and increase quality of content. Join our national fight to preserve free speech and create media access! Our victory will benefit all communities. [Karen Bond, Executive Director, National Black Coalition for Media Justice, karenbond@nbcmj.org ]

Proposal Demographics

identify as women
identify as people of color

Session Description

BACKGROUND:
Black communities are in crisis because radio stations serving predominantly Black urban areas across the country are now owned, in large part, by a single corporation. As a result, the number of competitive, independent sources for news and information in Black communities nationwide has been significantly reduced. In 1996, the first Republican majority in Congress in over 40 years passed the Telecommunications Act that removed limits on the number of radio or television stations one corporation can own nationally. The Act also relaxed the “One-To-A-Market Rule”, which generally prohibited one company from owning multiple radio and television stations in a single market. The “One-To-A-Market” concept had been in effect since 1934 and was designed to ensure that no single corporation could ever have control over our sources of news and information. With the passage of these more lenient ownership rules, the rash of media ownership consolidation that followed has drastically decreased diversity, competition and consequently the quality of programming in broadcast media.

SESSION CONTENT:
Participants will learn how institutionalized racism and the corporate takeover of the media has harmed us all, having done the most harm to Black urban communities across the country. These consistent themes will be emphasized as participants are trained on the following topics:

- THE EFFECT OF TEN YEARS OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP CONSOLIDATION ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY:
The plight of minority-owned radio stations serves as an excellent example of the harmful effects of media ownership consolidation on communities of color.

- CAN THE MARKETPLACE CURE THE ILLS OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP CONSOLIDATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY?
The FCC has claimed that new information sources in the marketplace, such as the Internet, can compensate for the harm that’s been done to Black communities by corporate media ownership consolidation. Participants will learn why this is not true.

- CHICAGO AS A CASE STUDY:
Chicago serves as a good example of the harm done by media ownership consolidation.

- THE VIOLATION OF OUR CIVIL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES:
Radio stations have been the only form of mass media news-and-information broadcasting that has had significant Black ownership and control. Giving one corporation the ability to control who can and cannot be heard, and thereby the ability to influence such things as election outcomes, is a violation of the civil rights of Black Americans across the country. Participants will gain knowledge about the specific legal jeopardy that Black communities face.

- MEDIA JUSTICE PRIORITES FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY:
Participants will learn about the unique set of media justice priorities in the Black community.

- CONCLUSIONS & SOLUTIONS:
Participants will find out which solutions are most viable and how to pursue them.

- QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION:
An interactive exchange between the audience and the panelists.

This session is meant to be a launching pad to enable attendees to work on these issues beyond the conference.

[NOTE: We would recommend that you consider converting this workshop into a major plenary event. The USSF is being held in Atlanta, a city some consider to be a "Black" city. The issue of corporate media takeovers is a high priority for this city in particular, as well as Black communities nationwide. This year, the Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to rewrite these media ownership laws and the “National Black Coalition For Media Justice" is working with the FCC Commissioners on this project. The timeliness and the urgency of this topic and related topics (i.e., the Black community’s influence on radio content following the Imus incident) will make this event into a major draw for Black citizens, Black students, Black celebrities, and consequently, a big draw for independent, alternative and mainstream media.]

[NOTE: The reason we are requesting a Saturday time for this session is because of the schedules of some of the participants.]

[NOTE: Equipment request - We will need to play a selection from a CD during this session]


First Name

Karen

Last Name

Bond

Contact E-mail

bond1865@lycos.com

Proposing Organization

National Black Coalition for Media Justice (NBCMJ)

Organization Website

nbcmj.org (website is under construction):

Position or Title

Executive Director

Contact Telephone

847 328 4849

Event Day

Saturday, June 30th (Strategizing the Achieving of Another World)

Contact Address

920 Dodge Avenue

Format

Panels, Powerpoint presentations, Q&A, potential small group discussions,selected music from a CD

Contact City

Evanston

Keywords

Anti-corporate power
Antiracism
Capitalism
Culture & Art/Music/Media
Media and publication
Movement building

Audience Number

50-100 people

Contact State

IL

Contact ZIP

60202

Person Reviewing

jerome