After posting my last article, I found this website that states that the “Rock the Net” campaign is a, “cheap publicity stunt” and that the musicians do not know much about Net Neutrality. To see the article click here.
With the media blackout regarding the issue of Net Neutrality, the advocacy group, The Future of Music Coalition, is assembling a lineup of popular bands, such as R.E.M. and Death Cab for Cutie to join the fight to keep the Internet a free space. The campaign is called “Rock the Net” and it will include a petition and a series of concerts. Click here to view the entire article from the Washington Post.
This article in the beginning is just a summary of what a VNR is and how it is used. Although near the middle/end of the article it talks about the FCC involvement. Check out the article here
This articles deals with a local station that is being held under investigation by the FCC for the use of VNRs without disclosing them as such. The articles continues and explains why VNRs are so popular among television stations because of the advantages with it being free and it helps with credibility because they are stories that have already been fact checked. Check out the article here.
Here is an interesting opinion supporting payola. He claims its pay-for-play system of payola as a same system as Frito-Lay paying to the supermarket for the Doritos to be put in the end of the aisle. He also claims that, raise of internet and satelite radio or new tools such as podcasting, iTunes enable the new artist to build a career in music without radio stations or Sony.
I thought it was an interesting opinion to see what we’ve learned in a different way.
Here we have an article Nothin ‘neutral’ in this web war in The Lebanon Daily News (Pennsylvania) were the reporter does a good job in surveying both sides of the argument and brings in key sources, such as David Farber, the grandfather of the internet, and Robert Frieden, to cover many aspects of this hot debate and weigh in their influential opinions.
There is a small article in the Bangor Daily News (Maine) that is entitled Forget Net Neutrality. This article highlights some key issues that are important to think about when actually debating about the issue. Though Net Neutrality is very important, this article makes you think twice before blindly making your opinion.
Prometheus Radio project is one of the leading non-profit organizations trying to dehomogenize the news media by building a large number of Low Power FM stations and listeners. By doing this, they hope to create a free media base with fewer restrictions. You can access their webpage here.
This article discusses the noncommercial LPFM and its hopeful addition to the radio spectrum. It explores the idea of adding the LPFM stations between high power stations but also makes note of the problems that will occur with this change. Senator John McCain (2000) attempted to revoke a decision made by Congress to curtail LPFM.
In 2006, the Center of Media and Democracy and Free Press decided to submit a formal complaint to the FCC regarding the use of Video News Releases and stations’ lack of disclosure. In April 2006, Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman interviewed FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein regarding his opinions on VNRs. Adelstein calls VNR use without disclosure “outrageous behavior and disgraceful journalism.” The complaint made by the CMD and Free Press suggests that there are direct ties between television station consolidation and an increase in VNR use. To find out more, listen to or read the transcript at Democracy Now!