STOP TRUMP TV! DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FCC


Please re-post this entry!

The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission recently voted to loosen the rules on owning multiple TV and radio stations in the same market. The FCC’s announcement helps pave the way for a mega-merger between Sinclair Broadcasting (a right-wing media company and also the nation's largest TV broadcaster) and Tribune Media-- a deal that would give Sinclair well over 200 TV stations, including in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, the country’s three biggest media markets. The FCC has also voted to remove the 40-year-old ban on a company owning a newspaper and a TV or radio station in the same media market. More info

One troubling aspect of Sinclair's expansion: the company frequently imposes "must run" segments in local news broadcasts, forcing local news stations to give air time to former Trump aide (and now Sinclair employee) Boris Epshteyn. Epshteyn, unsurprisingly, parrots White House talking points. In essence, the government is now planning to pump state propaganda into American homes on a mass scale.

SENATE ACTION:

WHAT TO DO: Call your U.S. Senator.

Find your Congressional representatives here:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

If you're in Minnesota:
Senator Al Franken: (202) 224-5641 / 651-221-1016 (Co-signatory of a letter from 15 Senators requesting an investigation; please thank him for his work!)
Senator Amy Klobuchar: (202) 224-3244 / 612-727-5220

"Hello. My name is _______. My zip code is _____. I don't need a personal response. I'm calling to encourage Senator ________ to support an investigation of FCC Chairman Pai regarding Sinclair Broadcasting's impending merger with Tribune Media. The FCC's recent actions facilitate unfair media monopolies, and I ask the Senator to speak out publicly on the matter. If you could pass my concerns along, I'd appreciate it." If you have a personal story relating to any of the above legislation, it's of great value for the Senator to share during debate if you'd care to include it. Be sure to thank the staffer for their time. And let your social network know you made the call by re-posting this link!

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HOUSE ACTION:

WHAT TO DO: Call your U.S. Representative.

Find your Congressional representatives here:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

If you're in Minneapolis:
Congressman Keith Ellison: (202) 225-4755 / 612-522-1212
If you're in St Paul:
Congresswoman Betty McCollum: (202) 225-6631/ (651) 224-9191

SCRIPT, if you need it (if you know your rep already supports what you're asking for, adapt your script as a thank you— yes, this is important to do too!):

"Hello. My name is _______. My zip code is _____. I don't need a personal response. I'm calling to encourage Representative ________ to support an investigation ofFCC Chairman Pai regarding Sinclair Broadcasting's impending merger with Tribune Media. The FCC's recent actions facilitate unfair media monopolies, and I ask the Representative to speak out publicly on the matter. If you could pass my concerns along, I'd appreciate it." If you have a personal story relating to any of the above legislation, it's of great value for the Representative to share during debate if you'd care to include it. Be sure to thank the staffer for their time. And let your social network know you made the call by re-posting this link!

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