TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Federal media ownership
regulations to get public airingThe Federal Communications Commission last week announced it would host a public hearing on its plans to amend rules governing media ownership. The only scheduled hearing will be in Virginia in February.
Word quickly traveled among members of Hawaii's media watchdog groups, such as the Honolulu Community-Media Council. An e-mail circulating Friday encouraged like-minded folk to contact Sen. Daniel Inouye to get a hearing scheduled for Hawaii.
The commission is reviewing limits on the audience one company should be allowed to reach through ownership of newspapers, and television and radio stations. The commission engages in a regular biennial review of such matters, but pressure mounted this time around after a series of court decisions critical of the agency's failure to justify existing limits. One ruling called the limits arbitrary and capricious.
Commission Chairman Michael Powell, a Republican, is seen as likely to allow further deregulation, which could open the door for more media consolidation.
Dissenting commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat, earlier announced his intention to organize several public hearings around the country to encourage greater participation in the decision-making process and last week renewed his call for increased input.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has enabled companies to own as many as seven radio stations in a market the size of Honolulu.
Texas-based Clear Channel Communications, Georgia-based Cox Radio Inc., and California-based Salem Communications Corp. and New Wave Broadcasting Inc. are among the companies that own and operate multiple-station radio groups in Hawaii.
Indiana-based Emmis Communications Corp. owns both KHON-TV and KGMB-TV in Honolulu and recently announced the purchase of another two-station duopoly on the mainland.
A chart on the "Now with Bill Moyers" Web site www.pbs.org/now shows that media ownership has grown increasingly concentrated over the years.
Some 50 companies owned a controlling interest in North American newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations and book publishers in 1984, according to the site. As of 1996 that number had dwindled to 10.
A vision of giving
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks continue to inspire service to others.Hawaiian Eye Center recently donated free laser vision correction for 15 Hawaii firefighters, "as a gift to honor the memory of firefighters who lost their lives a year ago," according to a statement.
Dr. Douglas Chu is performing the procedures on firefighters who work the front lines of fires.
"We realize it can be a handicap for a firefighter to have to wear glasses while fighting a fire," he said. "We want to do what we can to help these brave individuals."
The firefighters, members of the Hawaii Firefighters Association, are appreciative, said Bobby Lee, union president.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com