The FCC has recently set new rules regarding media regulation.
The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday issued controversial new rules that would allow media companies to grow larger, regulations that probably will go into effect in August but could be challenged in court.The rules – allowing television networks to buy more local television stations and permit a company to own a newspaper, television station and several radio outlets in a market – will go into effect 30 days after being published in the Federal Register, which can take up to three weeks.
The Republican-controlled FCC voted 3-2 to ease the ownership limits one month ago. Media companies had pushed the agency to loosen the regulations even further while consumer and political groups sought to tighten the rules….
Under the new rules, a television network will be able to own local television stations that collectively reach up to 45 percent of the U.S. television audience, up from 35 percent.
Both Viacom Inc., owner of the CBS and UPN networks, and News Corp., which runs the Fox network, own television stations that collectively reach roughly 39 percent of the national audience.
Also under the new rules, companies will be allowed to own up to three television stations in the largest markets and two stations in all but the smallest markets. But no entity can own more than one of the top four rated stations in a market.
In markets where there are at least nine television stations, companies will be able to own any combination of newspapers, television stations and radio outlets. No cross ownership will be permitted where there are at most three television stations.
In markets where there are four to eight television stations, limited cross-ownership would be allowed under the new rules. The FCC left intact its regulations that limit how many radio stations a company can own in a market but tightened the definition of what makes up a market.
One might be tempted to say that this is a victory for capitalism and for individual rights. However, I maintain that this is a bitter defeat for capitalism and individual rights, on the grounds that the premise that the government has the right to initiate the use of force against its citizens is unchallenged. Our politicians currently believe that it is wrong to fully initiate the use of force against its citizens (statism) but it is also wrong to never do so (capitalism). Thus, the government believes it has the right to initiate the use of force against it citizens in some areas, the question is just in which ones and to what extent. Because of this, our society has regressed to a large number of pressure-groups fighting for political favors from the government, fighting to have the government initiate the use of force on the group’s alleged enemy or enemies. Worst of all, the government believes it has the right to force an individual to not have the right to their own life in “some situations": to not be free from physical compulsion, and to not be free to trust the conclusions of their own independent judgment.
I completely condemn the idea that the government has any right whatsoever to force another individual to not have the freedom of trusting their own mind.
Help make this country what was almost and can be, a free society based on the recognition of individual rights: the right of every individual to their own life.
