A Message to Congressman Ed Markey

Congressman Markey,

I must thank you for your great efforts to protect the Internet. Today, Internet connected children have access to more information than we have seen in our entire lives.

I find the _great need_ for your efforts -- to save the Internet -- somewhat disappointing in a year that will celebrate Benjamin Franklin’s Tercentenary. You see, Benjamin Franklin supported and evangelized the idea of Libraries. Mr. Franklin brought enlightenment to the people. The Internet – many years later – brings information and enlightenment to people that live without access to libraries or books – around the world.

In our great capitalist country, it is easy to understand how power consolidates. The deregulation of our great American mass media industries has created a situation where there are literally thousands of information channels and venues, but a shrinking number of hands that control the content therein. This tremendous need to consolidate drives companies toward oligopoly domination while effectively destroying media diversity. This concentration has ultimately resulted in the birth of conglomerates that exhibit an alarming control over our veracity. Where is our first amendment?

Further indicative of this amalgamation tendency is the fact that, between 1982 and 2003, the number of news stations with news staff dropped from 98 percent to 67 percent, and half of the remaining staff members now work on a part-time basis; indeed, fewer minds and bodies are required to cut-and-paste or regurgitate a single message than to create original, thought-provoking dialogue. The result is that while there may be many “channels” competing for the public’s attention today, the information from many of these “channels” has been cross-pollinated.

It seems to me that the broadcast industries were deregulated because the “industries” argued that the Internet was fostering media diversity.

It is this deregulation that is perhaps the largest identifiable threat to our country, to equality and positive human progress, because media conglomerations have the ability to create versions of truth, and occlude truths necessary for democracy. In the process, they limit the advance of human freedom and knowledge, and threaten the democracy that is necessary for the prosperity and equal distribution of rights and freedoms. So, I must thank you for your good fight.

If I can help you, please feel free to call me anytime.

Thank you again for your great efforts.

Sincerely,
Steve Pariso

Posted on May 26, 2006 02:55 PM