Partial Relaxation of Media Concentration Rules Justified

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 09:09:50 -0400
> From: Rob Frieden <rmf5 () psu edu>
>
>
> Hello All:
>
>         With all the talk about the virtue of competitive bidding for 
> spectrum and marketplace resource allocation I would have expected to 
> read more commentary favoring relaxation of media concentration.  So I 
> accepted an invitation by Newday to "play the heavy;" see my op ed piece 
> at 
> http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpfri213294518may21,0,3070920.story?coll=ny%2Dopinion%2Darchive.
>
>         I would like to think more people than not can resort to "self 
> help" when markets become concentrated, or when individual tastes and 
> preferences are not served.  I satisfy my worldbeat, ska, reggae, calypso 
> and soca musical tastes on the Internet and have pretty much written off 
> FM radio.  From my perspective it doesn't matter whether a Mom and Pop 
> station automates, or Clear Channel "repurposes" a plain vanilla format 
> for hundreds of markets.  Likewise I seek news via shortwave radio and 
> the Internet.
>
>         I recognize that markets can fail and the need for antitrust 
> enforcement, but I would not exempt media markets from having to 
> streamline and become more productive just as every other sector of the 
> economy.
>
>         Regards, Rob Frieden
>
>
> Pioneers Chair in Cable Telecommunications and Professor
> Penn State University
> 105-c Carnegie Building, University Park, PA  16802
> office: (814) 863-7996; fax (814) 863-8161
> home: (814) 867-2545
> Web page http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/r/m/rmf5/
> Faculty profile: http://www.comm.psu.edu/graduate/Frieden_IC.html


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