THE HIDDEN BECOMES MANIFEST: MONOPOLY OF "NEWS" IS NOW LEGAL ~ Articles by David Icke

THE HIDDEN BECOMES MANIFEST:
MONOPOLY OF "NEWS" IS NOW LEGAL
by DAVID ICKE

As the New World Order moves on apace, more and more of the once-hidden control of finance, business, politics, military, and media is being placed before our eyes. The long-predicted Americas version of the European Union is being unveiled in Quebec and here we have confirmation that all pretence of media "independence" is now being dropped. "Hey, we control the show and there is nothing you can do about it", appears to be the message.

However, dropping your guard and getting over confident is always the prelude to a mighty fall - just as former world boxing champion, Lennox Lewis, found in South Africa this week. Like Lewis, the Illuminati has a date with the canvas, also, and, impossible as the situation would seem to be for those challenging the global dictatorship, the bell is soon to be sounded for the final round. The darkest hour, as they say, is just before dawn...

Click here: UPDATE 1-FCC ruling frees broadcasters

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http://www.davidicke.com/icke/articles3/fcc.html

Friday April 20 12:47 AM ET
UPDATE 1-FCC ruling frees broadcasters

By Pamela McClintock and Jill Goldsmith

WASHINGTON (Variety) - In a bow to deregulation, the Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to abolish a rule prohibiting joint ownership of a Big Four TV network and a so-called emerging network like UPN or the WB.

The decision means Viacom Inc., as expected, can keep UPN despite the fact that it owns CBS. It also opens the door for WB parent AOL Time Warner Inc. to merge that network with another, General Electric Co.'s NBC being the most likely. First, AOL TW would need another regulation struck down, one that forbids ownership of a cable system and broadcast station in the same market. Given the current hands-off regulatory climate, that may well happen.

In its 3-1 vote, the commission made clear that it has no intention, at least for now, of abandoning the overarching rule that prohibits the Big Four -- ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox -- from pairing off with each other.

Nevertheless, the emerging network vote, while not a surprise, was still seen as a telling moment in FCC Chairman Michael Powell's first 100 days in office. Powell has consistently advocated deregulation, and media giants are smiling.

``We are extremely pleased that the FCC has amended its rules regarding broadcast network ownership -- a decision that correctly reflects the truly competitive nature of the broadcast industry,'' Viacom said in a statement. ``We are encouraged by the FCC's willingness to revisit and amend its traditional positions in light of the realities of communications in the 21st century.''

Consumer advocates lashed out at the decision.

``Michael Powell is continuing the long-standing Republican tradition of mindlessly eliminating safeguards that have ensured a much more diverse and competitive communications system,'' said Jeff Chester at the Center for Media Education. ``He's just opened the door to get rid of the rest of the FCC ownership rules.''

Defending the decision, Powell argued that the public interest would be harmed if the WB or UPN were shuttered, since the duo serve niche audiences.

That may have been true for UPN -- at least it's what parent Viacom threatened might happen if it was forced to divest the network and couldn't find an appropriate buyer. The WB, happily ensconced in AOL Time Warner, is in little danger of being shut down.

Powell echoed media executives in insisting that there is enough competition from cable, direct broadcast satellite, the Internet and other sources to ensure that a jointly owned Big Four network and emerging network won't hamper diverse programming.

``Uncontested in the record is the fact that continued ownership of UPN by CBS is essential to the continued vitality of UPN and its local affiliated stations,'' Powell said. ``The failure of this network would result in a loss of diversity of programming at the national level; programming that makes an important contribution to minority and urban audiences. Furthermore, outlet diversity at the local level would also be jeopardized if the stability of the affiliates were put at risk.''

The lone nay vote was cast by FCC commissioner Gloria Tristani, who said the majority decision will only ``further erode the already tenuous level'' of diverse and independent programming. ``Wholesale abandonment of well-settled rules is not the way to save a struggling network or promote the public interest,'' she said.

``Decreasing the number of owners of broadcast networks is simply not a means to achieve greater viewpoint diversity. Sadly, the train on consolidation continues to run on time,'' Tristani added.

Powell was careful to caution that Thursday's action may not be as ripe with significance as many FCC watchers think. But it's hard not to see the vote as a strong signal that caps are being systematically relaxed or abolished.

Other ownership rules in the offing for repeal include a hotly contested cap prohibiting one broadcaster from reaching more than 35% of the national TV audience. CBS, Fox and NBC are hopeful a federal appeals court will soon strike down that regulation, and they have reason to hope: the same court recently struck down the FCC's cable ownership cap, which prohibited one cable company from reaching more than 30% of the U.S.

Another regulation Powell is expected to act quickly to revoke is a cross-ownership rule blocking joint ownership of a broadcaster station and a newspaper in the same market.

Thursday's FCC vote capped a three-year review of the dual-network rule. The portion of the regulation applying to weblets was written into law in 1996. The more significant rule, disallowing one network from owning another, has been on the books for decades.

Viacom's widely track Class B shares closed up $2.00 (or 3.85%) to $54.00 on the New York Stock Exchange; the company is due to report first quarter earnings next Tuesday. AOL Time Warner Stock closed 90 cents higher (1.84%) at $49.90, while General Electric ended 61 cents higher (1.27%) at $48.51.

The blue-chip Dow Jones industrial average jumped 77.88 points, or 0.73 percent, to 10,693.71, wrapping up its fifth positive session in a row. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 15.53 points, or 1.25 percent, to 1,253.69.

Reuters/Variety REUTERS