Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2003 14:56:28 -0700
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
FCC CHIEF WARNS OF FUTURE SHOCK
"I think free, over-the-air TV is dying," says FCC Chairman Michael Powell.
"I don't care how much money they made this year, they're dying." Part of
the reason, he says, is that cable networks have both subscriber and
advertising revenue, unlike network television. Powell also cites cable's
freedom from the federal indecency rules that broadcast stations must
follow. "In 10 years, free TV is going to be gone -- absent any policy
decisions trying to help," he claims. Opponents remain unconvinced. "Here we
have the chairman of the FCC trying to somehow protect four of the six
largest and most profitable media companies that dominate the news,
information and entertainment market in America today," said Gene Kimmelman,
of the Consumers Union. "His entire philosophy reeks of corporate welfare
for the wealthiest, most profitable companies at the expense of
competition." Powell also fears that the nation's public telephone network
will start to fail because rather than building facilities, companies such
as MCI and AT&T are piggybacking on the equipment of regional phone
companies "like sucker fish on whales." However, he was unsuccessful in his
bid to revise FCC policy regarding the telephone industry.
SOURCE: Chicago Tribune; AUTHOR: Frank James
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0309070507sep07,1,7218069>