I am writing to express my outrage that the FCC has failed in efforts to monitor and foster more
minority ownership of television stations. There is something terribly wrong with our media system
when minorities comprise such substantial parts of the U.S. population but own so few broadcast
outlets.
A recent report by the media reform organization Free Press found that that while minorities make up
33 percent of the U.S. population, only 3.26 percent of all broadcast stations are owned by minorities.
The report also finds that the number of minority owned stations has dropped since more
consolidated media ownership was permitted in the 1996 Telecommunications Act.
Diversity is the cornerstone of a democratic media system; we cannot afford to lose it in any way. It
would be unconscionable for the FCC to let large media owners buy up more local media outlets
before redressing the agency's failure to foster minority voices in the media.
The FCC should not allow relaxation or elimination of the limits on media ownership without first
hearing out widespread public concern about the problems of minority representation and lack of
minority broadcast station owners. Allowing further concentration of local media markets, will only
worsen the problems we already have.
Our democracy requires the free flow of local information from diverse voices. The FCC should stand
firm with the public against further concentration of media ownership in the hands of the few.