Kevin Martin, chairman of the FCC just released a plan proposing to allow for more consolidation of the media industry, by relaxing the rules governing media ownership. The biggest move would be to remove the prohibition of owning a newspaper and television station in the same market. In the age of online news, cable and web tv, the rule might not have as much relevance as it 30 years ago. Despite the decentralization of media content that the Internet encourages, big media production is still plays a crucial role how the society functions. The vertical and horizontal integration of the media industry is only going to constrict the flow of information. With an election coming up, I’m not sure why this is being brought up now. When the former commissioner tried the pass a similar measure, it failed against a loud dissent.
