Byron Dorgan: “I rise to speak on the two political conventions. My speech will not be about the politics of the conventions but about…”

“I rise to speak on the two political conventions. My speech will not be about the politics of the conventions but about the coverage of the conventions. Senator Lott and I have worked all of this year and the major part of last year on an issue dealing with the concentration of broadcast ownership in a rule that was crafted by the Federal Communications Commission that would allow even greater concentration in broadcast ownership. That rule would have allowed in the larger cities for one company to purchase three television stations, eight radio stations, the cable system, and the largest newspaper, and that would be fine. Many Republicans and Democrats don't think that is fine. We think the concentration of ownership of media properties will mean that fewer and fewer Americans, probably fewer than a handful of Americans, will determine what the rest of the American people see, hear, and read. We don't think that is helpful. A Federal court has overturned the rule the FCC developed and sent it back to them, saying 'redo it.' Senator Lott and I and others hope the FCC will do this the right way. The right way would be to promote more economic opportunity and broader ownership, not concentrated ownership in radio and television and newspapers. This relates to the coverage of the Republican and Democratic Conventions.”