This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Joseph Lieberman On Media Ownership (Small - 4 MB)
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"This FCC decision will have a disproportionately adverse effect on minority-owned broadcasting stations. It will diminish competition and Freedom of Speech in America. We gotta turn it around." -- Joseph Lieberman. |
Q: I take Senator Lieberman then, that you would tell media companies, "Be on notice. These rules could be temporary. Buy at your own risk."
Lieberman: Absolutely. They will be temporary and in fact there is a Bill working it's way through congress right now that would overturn that FCC decision. If it doesn't pass or if George W. won't sign it, as President, I will do whatever I can to overturn this FCC decision...
Let me say finally, this FCC decision will have a disproportionately adverse effect on minority-owned broadcasting stations. It will diminish competition and Freedom of Speech in America. We gotta turn it around.
This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Kerry On Media Ownership (Small - 3 MB)
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| "This administration's idea of "diversity" is to have a whole bunch of different oil executives from different companies running the government. And I want you to think about that in the context of the FCC because it's by big oil, of big oil, for big oil. The corporatization of all the choices that we face in this country is what this is about." -- John Kerry. |
This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Richard Gephardt On Media Ownership (Small - 3 MB)
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| "This is just one more issue of an indication that we are being led today, run today, by a radical extreme administration that has sold your government to the special interests of this country..." "Get everybody to vote! Failure's not an option! We have to win this election and get rid of the money changers in the temple of government!" -- Richard Gephardt. |
This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Carol Moseley Braun On Media Ownership (Small - 3 MB)
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| "It is downright anti-democratic to allow these corporate conglomerates to allow greed to overcome our right as Americans to know. The airwaves, after all, belong to the people, and if we are going to make certain that the people have a chance to be heard, then we have to insure that there is a diversity of ownership, a diversity of voice, and that everybody has an opportunity to participate." -- Carol Moseley Brown. |
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This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Al Sharpton On Media Ownership (Small - 3 MB)
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"I think that it is imperative that we protect the public's right to know, and if we have monopolies controlling the airwaves, we cannot have a democratic debate in this country. It is, in my judgement, the most glaring contradiction to "free the airwaves" in Baghdad and then sell all the airwaves in America to private interest one, two or three." -- Al Sharpton. |
Although I have already made my endorsement for Howard Dean for President, you'll notice that I'll be posting video from all of the candidates over the days and weeks to come.
That's because I didn't want to be a party to the typical Media Monopoly practice of not giving the other candidates any time. In the TV and Cable "airwaves," you can bet that we're going to be seeing a lot of the Shrub and no one but the Shrub because he's the only one who can pay for all the time he wants.
I also didn't want to be the "all Dean and only Dean all the time" channel or anything -- I'm already worried about alienating those of you haven't made up your mind yet -- and you're the people I most want to reach!
So I won't say I'm going to be giving them all "equal time," because that means I'll have to get my calculator out to keep things even. I also plan on collecting all the great things Howard Dean has said and done in one category -- and he's done a lot of great things in the past and he keeps saying great things about what he'd do in the future -- so I'm pretty sure there will still be more Dean here than anything else.
However, a friend of mine reminded me earlier this week (as she was checking "none of the above" on her MoveOn Primary Ballot) that it's important to keep the debate going on these issues in order to make the public aware of them -- and to not just get behind one candidate early and let the issues take a backseat to the campaign.
So, although I still feel that Dean is the obvious choice at this point, and so much more than the other candidates I just had to say something, I do agree with her point about keeping up the debate on these so very important issues.
That means I'll be covering all of the candidates to a certain extent -- should one (or all) of them say something worthy (or damning) that I feel the public needs to hear.
That means that on my little media monopoly, we'll be hearing from all of the Democratic candidates.
I just felt compelled to explain my strategy a bit here.
Peace y'all.
This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
Kucinich On Media Ownership (Small - 3 MB)
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"I'll have my Justice Department file suit to break up all the monopolies in the media. That's number one. And while they're at it, they'll start to pay attention to the concentration of wealth that's going on in this society, and file suit to break up monopolies in energy, in agriculture and communications." -- Dennis Kucinich. |
This footage is from the "Democratic National Candidates Forum" organized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition that took place on June 22, 2003 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.
Here's the original question that was presented to the candidates (courtesy of Jesse Jackson).
 | Howard Dean On The FCC's New Media Ownership Rules "...when the Dixie Chicks were kicked off the air for disagreeing with the President of the United States over the Iraq invasion, I suddenly realized that this was a corporation who was censoring our ability to get information on our airwaves." -- Howard Dean. |
Complete transcript of the above video clip:
Q: Governor Dean. The FCC made this decision. The market's gonna react. Companies are going to be acquiring more outlets. What are you gonna try to do? Try to undo it?
Dean: Yup.
(applause)
Dean: Look, I'm not a big country music person. I like it alright. I don't know much about the Dixie Chicks. But when the Dixie Chicks were kicked off the air for disagreeing with the President of the United States over the Iraq invasion, I suddenly realized that this was a corporation who was censoring our ability to get information on our airwaves. So, yeah. Deregulation has been a failure. We need to re-regulate the media. They've behaved irresponsibly, and when people behave irresponsibly, they need to have the privileges that we're giving them using our airwaves taken away.
So yes. I would re-regulate the media. I would limit the ownership of stations in a particular market and limit the overall ownerships in the entire country. We made a mistake in deregulation. We need to re-regulate.
Uncropped photograph (linked to larger image):
