Patty Murray: “like many Americans, I was disappointed by the Federal Communications Commission's recent order on media ownership. As…”

“like many Americans, I was disappointed by the Federal Communications Commission's recent order on media ownership. As my colleagues know, on June 2 the FCC voted to relax the rules on media ownership. That order could reduce local news coverage and could hinder the diversity of views presented in the news media. I rise in support of the bipartisan resolution offered by Senators Dorgan and Lott to invalidate the FCC's media ownership order. Passage of this resolution will help ensure that the marketplace of ideas is not dominated by a few corporate conglomerates at the expense of our citizens and our democracy. Since its founding, our Nation has always recognized the importance of a free press in helping citizens make informed decisions on critical public issues. Over the past few years, we have seen massive mergers take place in many industries, but Americans recognize that the news media are different. They don't just produce a product to make a profit. They also provide a vital public service that could be undermined if just a few mega-corporations control what we can read, see and hear. That is why the FCC's order has provoked such a large public backlash.”