FCC Hearing in Palo Alto Pits Big Telecom Profit Motive Versus the Public Interest Pt II

Top Photo: The Raging Grannies performed street theater and sang on the steps of auditorium where the FCC event was held. A member of the Grannies' Mens Auxiliary portrayed an FCC commissioner, and listened to the Grannies' pleas for regulation of the big telecoms.

The good people at freepress.net blogged about the event, saying some of the best talking points on the issue can be found in Raging Granny songs.

*Singing for Media Reform*
May 21st, 2010 by Jenn Ettinger http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog/2010/05/singing-for-media-reform/

The Federal Communications Commission heard from voices all over the Palo Alto area at its media ownership hearing today, but there may have been a few voices that rose above the rest.

The “Raging Grannies” – a grassroots peace organization whose members dress like “innocent little old ladies” and sing protest songs – were out in full force, reminding the FCC with some catchy tunes that the public still cares about media ownership and consolidation.

The Grannies sang “Oh My Darling FCC”:

Lots of people don’t have email and can’t use the internet
They are voters and they live here, something we must not forget
The FCC must do its duty and protect alternatives
varied voices, local sources, real people where we live.

And “We Don’t Like Cross-Ownership” (to the tune of “Saints Go Marching”):

When news just comes
from one big source
When news just comes
from one big source
Less LOCAL news will hurt our country
No we don’t LIKE cross-ownership

And the fan favorite “Corporations Must Not Rule,” with its “Battle Hymn of the Republic” tune:

For democracy we all need information we can trust
We speak for all the people, we say
You must think of us
The FCC must take a stand protect variety
Corporations must not rule!
Refrain
Glory glory first amendment
Glory glory first amendment
Corporations must not rule!

When a faceless corporation is our only source of news
And big brother at a distance can control what we can view
We’re in trouble and it threatens fairness and democracy
Corporations must not rule!

The FCC hosted the workshop to discuss the impact of innovation – mainly the explosive growth of the Internet – on traditional newspaper and broadcast outlets, and how this effects current media ownership rules.

Gail Sredanovic, a retired teacher and a member of the Raging Grannies, said she was concerned that the proposed Comcast merger with NBC-Universal would put too many media outlets into the hands of a company already famous for treating customers badly.
“We already have way too much concentration of news sources in the hands of a few,” Sredanovic said.  “It would be madness to make it worse. One-third of seniors don’t even have a computer, so putting more media outlets into the hands of a few, based on the growth of the Internet, really reduces their options for getting independent news.”