FCC Chief "Defiant," Refuses To Delay Consolidation Vote

Facing growing criticism of his agenda and tactics, a defiant Kevin J. Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, refused senators' requests Thursday to delay a vote next week on his plan to loosen restrictions on owning a newspaper and broadcast station in the same city.

Martin endured three hours of aggressive questioning from the Senate Commerce Committee, with members accusing him of rushing to help big media companies at the public's expense.

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Comments

[TimHollis]

See 'I Want To Beat Up That FCC'King Kevin Martin'.
http://hubpages.com/hub/KevinMartin

[TimHollis]

See 'I Want To Beat Up That FCC'King Kevin Martin'.
http://hubpages.com/hub/KevinMartin

[JackHughes]

"Defiant"? He's more accurately described as "shameless," as in shamelessly flacking for the interests of Big Media as opposed to the interests of the American people.

Every apparatchik who served in the Bush administration should be forced to wear a scarlet letter "B."

[loki]

Here ya go, another perfect example of how NeoConNazi Rethuglican Christian Capitalist have turned the US into a modern version of cold war USSR. Its so obvious that this is no longer a Republic, much less the Democracy many often wrongly say America was. This is an evolved communist state and nothing else.

[frappe]

An FCC chairman should not have the power to overrule Congress. To give one man the power to enable corporations to consolidate our entertainment and news-gathering and news-dispensing media is to invite disaster. Doesn't Congress have the ability to stop this idiot? After all, if allowed to proceed, the changes would deliver a deathblow to what "remains" of a free and independent press.

Serious media reform needs to be taken seriously. What the hell is Congress going to do about this? Damn it, they better do something to stop this asshole!

[Kendo Nagasaki]

Kevin J. Martin Chairman FCC age 41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Martin_(FCC)

A loyal Bush servant.

[in4success]

can't we water-board this idiot and get him to confess?

[Ihaveadream]

http://pulver.com/events/images/wdc05/DSC_7634.JPG

Photo of the power couple at the FCBA 2005 Chairman's Dinner.

[Ihaveadream]

Actually Kevin Martin is about as qualified for his "job" as Clarence Thomas is for his. Both appointed by Bushes, and both do exactly what they are told to do by the shadowy, behind the scenes players who pull the strings.

[Ihaveadream]

Cronyism for damn sure - look at his wife's resume and how she "worked" her way up to being responsible for...drum roll... SURPRISE HERE - Communications Policy & Planning at the White House --

Chairman Martin married a Harvard law school classmate, Catherine J. Martin (Cathie). Following law school, Cathie practiced law as an associate of Steptoe & Johnson (law firm for big oil) in Washington, and then held the following positions in public service: Counselor to then Texas Attorney General John Cornyn; Deputy Chief of Staff for Secretary Donald L. Evans at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, and Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at the National Economic Council. She currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President for Communications (Policy and Planning). Kevin and Cathie reside in Washington, D.C.

It would be interesting if somebody would find out and post who both their daddy's are???? That's the only way you get appointed to jobs in the Bush Admin, not by what you know.

[shockmagog]

From the Los Angeles Times article:

'Lawmakers and public interest groups had expected the FCC's periodic review of its media ownership rules to extend into next year. But Martin accelerated the process in October, rushing to hold the final two public hearings with minimal notice and proposing to vote on a plan Tuesday, just a week after public comments were due at the FCC.'

They keep trying to do this over and over again. If we don't slap them down, they will roll over us. Michael Powell tried to deregulate media consolidation rules a few years ago but he was stopped (temporarily) by a massive petition drive:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20030602/nichols

'The moves outraged the FCC's two Democrats, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, as well as many members of Congress, who accused Martin of short-circuiting the process.'

'"The FCC is poised to make some bad decisions, and it seems to me at this point only congressional oversight can get us back on track," Copps said, acknowledging that Martin had the votes on the five-member commission to approve the rule change.'

'After the FCC recently granted waivers to Tribune Co. of the cross-ownership rule in Los Angeles and four other cities, allowing it to close its $8.2-billion deal to go private by year-end, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said there was no reason to rush a vote on such a controversial issue.'

The Tribune Company (the Chicago Tribune) owns the Los Angeles Times, and they also own KTLA channel 5, a television channel in Los Angeles (among a great many other TV channels and media outlets across the country).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribune_Company
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Tribune_Company

[Ihaveadream]

He's no public servant. We know who he works for and they're all on K Street.

[eman]

i just dont understand how the head of the FCC can just ABSOLUTELY IGNORE THE WILL of the people.

is that it? he's a dictator in his job and has to answer to no one ?

or just the president ?

[WorkingClass]

This little prick is looking at a BIG PAYDAY. If Murdock gets what he wants, watch this guy start spending.

[Gatormouth]

A defiant public servant. Yes. I see. not a "public" servant, exactly: more like a defiant corporate servant. Not about to be influenced by mere public concerns. By corporate standards, a good politician is one who stays bought. This guy must be a real prize.