The Supreme Court overturned 3 ownership laws preventing single-company ownership of multiple media outlets.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2021
NEW YORK--- On Thursday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Federal Communications Commision (FCC) will start to ease the laws restricting large media conglomerates from owning multiple media outlets in a certain area. The relaxation of these laws enables big corporations to gain more control, which will help them restrict perspectives and narratives. This risks infringing upon the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of expression.
Teens for Press Freedom cofounder Isabel Tribe said, “This ruling allows media conglomerates to monopolize the American journalism by acquiring ownership of several media outlets within a single community. The FCC’s reversal of essential media ownership laws threatens to reduce individuality among local news outlets and contribute to the decline in local journalism. The consolidation of local newspapers and TV and radio stations by media syndicates will inevitably result in a cut down in staff and a standardization of coverage that aligns directly with the conglomerate’s beliefs and political ideology. Local news sources serve the dual purpose of providing their communities with unbiased news coverage and holding public officials and figures accountable.”
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Source: NBC News
Click here to read about PEN America’s report on “Losing the News.
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