Center for Creative Voices in Media Blog

Creative Voices Discusses DTV Transition, Broadband Stimulus

On Thursday, January 29th, 2009, Jonathan Rintels, President and Executive Director of Center For Creative Voices In Media joined Charlottesville Right Now to discuss the switch from analog television to digital television on February 17th, 2009. Rintels also discusses what the stimulus package could mean for broadband infrastructure jobs. Charlottesville Podcasting Network - Blog Archive - Charlottesville-Right Now: Jonathan Rintels.

Protecting the Public's Access to Independent Film & TV

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) has put together a "Fight For Independents" campaign to promote more independent film and television production in a world dominated by a handful of giant media conglomerates that have a chokehold over much of broadcast and cable television production and distribution. They are urging the FCC to take action to once again open broadcast and cable TV to independents, as it was during the '70's, '80's, and early '90's before ill-conceived and misguided FCC "deregulation" enabled the networks to drive the independents out of business. Sign IFTA's position to the FCC!  Fight for Independents | Home.

Creative Voices Applauds Genachowski as new FCC Chair

We're thrilled that President-Elect Obama has reportedly chosen Julius Genachowski as the next FCC Chairman.  Genachowski is one of the principal authors of the Obama campaign's Technology and Innovation Policy platform, which we have heartily endorsed for its support of several critical issues:

• Encourage diversity in media and limit consolidation and concentration.
• Robust broadband Internet access for all Americans that is open to all content (Net Neutrality)
• Respect for the First Amendment
• Allowing parents, not government, to decide what content is appropriate for their children.  Technology and better information are the ways to deal with inappropriate content, not censorship.

We eagerly look forward to working with Mr. Genachowski at the FCC.

Obama's Pick for FCC Signals Change - WSJ.com.

AN ACTION PLAN FOR AMERICA: Using Technology and Innovation to Address Our Nation’s Critical Challenges

In a visionary blueprint for the use of technology and innovation, AN ACTION PLAN FOR AMERICA: Using Technology and Innovation to Address Our Nation’s Critical Challenges proposes that President-Elect Barack Obama take immediate action to connect the nation to broadband, which will unleash billions of dollars in economic development, create over a million jobs, enhance America’s global competitiveness, deliver superior health care and education, reduce energy consumption and environmental degradation, improve public safety and homeland security, and reinvigorate democracy. 

The Center for Creative Voices in Media was pleased to author this 62 page ACTION PLAN for The Benton Foundation. 

"On January 20, 2009, Americans will turn to President Barack Obama to make good on the promises he made during the 2008 election," said Charles Benton, Chairman, CEO and Trustee of the Benton Foundation. "One clear goal articulated by candidate Obama is that every American should have the highest speed broadband access - no matter where they live, or how much money they have. This goal is not achievable overnight nor with the simple stroke of a pen. However, President Obama can immediately exercise strong leadership to improve the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy by acting to craft a National Broadband Strategy." 

"In this time of economic hardship, the Obama Administration should undertake a concerted national effort to deploy universal, robust, open, and affordable broadband Internet access that will unleash billions of dollars of economic development and create over a million jobs," said ACTION PLAN author Jonathan Rintels, Executive Director of the Center for Creative Voices in Media. "The economic, social, and cultural benefits of this critical 21st century investment in broadband will vastly outweigh its cost, delivering better health care, education, energy conservation, homeland security, and government transparency for generations to come." 

The ACTION PLAN includes a draft Executive Order that President Obama should sign immediately upon taking office to establish and implement a National Broadband Strategy that will achieve the goal of universal, robust, open, and affordable broadband, as well as enhance our nation's global competitiveness, as quickly as possible. The ACTION PLAN builds on our work in last year's report, The Case for Universal Broadband in America: Now! 

Read more about the ACTION PLAN here.

Media Ownership Challenge Moved To Third Circuit

The appeal of the FCC's latest attempt to lift reasonable limits on ownership of media will be heard in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, the same court which found the FCC's prior attempt to lift media ownership limits "arbitrary and capricious" and contrary to law.  While Kevin Martin's latest iteration of media deregulation is less sweeping than his predecessor Michael Powell's, it still would allow far more cross-ownership of local media, including joint ownership of large newspapers and TV stations, the two primary sources for local community news.  Media Ownership Challenge Moved To Third Circuit - 11/4/2008 3:00:00 PM - Broadcasting & Cable.

"TV Needs to Join Net Neutrality Fight"

Harry Jessell, the influential editor of TV Newsday, writes that broadcast television stations should enter the fight for open access Net Neutrality regulations to ensure that they are able to reach their audiences over the Internet. Extremely interesting development in the fight to preserve a level playing field on the Internet since the MPAA is on record as opposing Net Neutrality, and most of the major television networks are members of the MPAA following their consolidation with major film studios. Says Jessell:

The question is, is this the NAB's fight? I think it is. The last thing that a station needs to discover is that its Web site is not loading as quickly or looking as good as that of the local Yellow Pages publisher because the directory publisher cut some kind of deal with the cable company. Or worse, the station Web site is functioning slower because the local cable company has its own competitive site. TVNEWSDAY - TV Needs to Join Net Neutrality Fight.

Why Net Neutrality Matters to Creatives - and Everyone Else

WGA member Michael Janover pens a terrific op-ed about why creative artists -- and everyone else -- needs to take action to protect Net Neutrality. Writes Janover: "Net Neutrality" basically means "Leave the Internet alone," and it's the battle cry for those who think handing over management and control of information to a few mega-corporations is the worst possible idea. Net neutrality: Why you should give a damn : Speakout : The Rocky Mountain News.

More on the Death of Synergy

Nearly six years ago, we hailed Jeff Bewkes, now the CEO of Time Warner, for honestly saying the claimed benefits of "synergy" -- using Big Media's chokehold over distribution to consolidate its grip over creative production -- were B.S. and would turn even greater control over creative decisions to "the suits," thus ruining "the business." Said Bewkes then, "“Horizontal integration can be useful if you don't let it ‘factory-ize’ creative production. … But where people got fouled up was in vertical integration. Saying you need to buy something to provide content for your network is bullshit -- you can get product from anywhere.”

Bewkes had it right back then. Yet as he eventually ascended to the top job at Time Warner, replacing Dick Parsons, he did relatively nothing about it. Time Warner kept its magazines, cable operations and catastrophic AOL Internet distribution, all the time hunting for that elusive magical "synergy" that would make the sum of the parts greater than the whole, when reality and the plummeting stock price proved it was less. According to the NY Times, that's about to change. In an effort to focus more sharply on “content creation” (or what nonsuits still like to call movies and television shows), Jeffrey L. Bewkes, who became chief executive of Time Warner in January, is whittling down the company’s many branches. It’s a makeover that will unravel about two decades’ worth of mergers that created the company in its current form. We'll see, as this is the third or fourth one of these articles we've seen over the years previewing the breakup of the company and the return to its roots as a content creator. Holy Cash Cow, Batman! Content Is Back at Time Warner - NYTimes.com.

Troma's Lloyd Kaufman on Media Consolidation and Net Neutrality -- Hilarious!

Inspired YouTube lunacy on the dangers of media consolidation and the need for net neutrality from legendary Lloyd Kaufman, producer of such great Troma pics as The Toxic Avenger, and chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance. The last line: If Media Conglomerates Grow, Independent Art Will Not. We agree! YouTube - Lloyd Kaufman Defines Media Consolidation.

CV Applauds FCC Decision to Sanction Comcast and Promote Open Internet for All

Creative Voices applauds today’s FCC decision to protect and promote an open Internet where consumers have the freedom to access the lawful Internet content of their choice and use the lawful applications of their choice. The FCC decision today marked an important victory in the battle over whether consumers will have the freedom to enjoy the full Internet, or whether they will they be restricted to visiting sites approved by – or in business with – the cable, telephone, or media conglomerate “gatekeeper” that provides broadband Internet access.

Because extreme media consolidation and concentration have eliminated so many independent voices and visions from America’s mainstream media, a growing number of creative artists now share their video, music, and creative visions directly with their audience over the Internet. Today’s FCC decision protects these artists from discrimination by broadband providers, promoting more independent and diverse voices in our media. That benefits creative artists and the American public. Read our full statement at Center for Creative Voices in Media: News.