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LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FORLIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 03 May 2003 07:42:25 -0400
------ Forwarded Message From: "Faulhaber, Gerald" <faulhabe () wharton upenn edu> Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 23:37:58 -0400 To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net> Subject: RE: [Dewayne-Net] LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FORLIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS A rather breathless headline to describe a reasonable and I believe uncontroversial (but probably unnecessary) request. The so-called "diversity index" alleged to be under development at the FCC will certainly see the light of day and be hotly debated, as well it should. The FCC has always operated under the bright glare of publicity, as well it should. This will be no different. By way of analogy, when Dept. of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission developed the first antitrusgt Merger Guidelines in the early 1980s, they were subject to very serious academic debate. Generally, though, that attempt to clarify antitrust practice was lauded by academics. In this case, the group of "leading" academics appears ready to dismiss the index, and indeed any quantitative measure, out of hand, before seeing it. This certainly doesn't fit what I believe scholarly discourse to be about. Professor Gerald R. Faulhaber Business and Public Policy Dept Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104 -----Original Message----- From: Dave Farber [mailto:dave () farber net] Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 4:38 PM To: Faulhaber, Gerald Subject: FW: [Dewayne-Net] LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FORLIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS ------ Forwarded Message From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com> Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 07:36:27 -0700 To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com> Subject: [Dewayne-Net] LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FOR LIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FOR LIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS [Press Release] A group of nearly 300 academics have asked the FCC to disclose its plans for a rulemaking "diversity index" and other quantitative measures prior to its scheduled June 2 vote on media ownership deregulation. The academics join a growing chorus of public interest organizations and consumer groups critical of the FCC's plan to strip the ownership rules. "We have grave doubts that any single measure can effectively analyze the complexities of the media marketplace in terms of its impact on journalism, citizen access to information, and competition," they wrote. University of Illinois professor Robert McChesney added, "The existing media rules were created to guarantee the citizens their basic rights to a diverse and independent media. Chairman Powell seems focused solely on the impact of media rules on the advertising marketplace, not the marketplace of ideas. Regardless of the index or rule Mr. Powell chooses, hundreds of leading scholars justifiably believe that any proposal should be first released for scholarly review and comment." [SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy] <http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/academicsDecryFCC.html> View the letter and a list of signatories: <http://www.democraticmedia.org/resources/filings/Academic_letterFINAL.d oc> Archives at: <http://Wireless.Com/Dewayne-Net> Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com> ------ End of Forwarded Message ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- LEADING ACADEMICS DECRY FCC METHODOLOGY FORLIFTING OWNERSHIP SAFEGUARDS Dave Farber (May 03)