Prometheus Radio Project Wins Federal Court Case Overturning FCC Media Deregulation Plan

Interview with Hannah Sassaman, The Prometheus Radio Project program director, conducted by Scott Harris

In late June, a victory for the public, and especially for community media, was handed down by a US District Court when it ruled the Federal Communications Commission had to come up with a new set of rules governing access to the public airwaves. At the forefront of this struggle was the Prometheus Radio Project, a Philadelphia-based group that supports low power FM broadcasting and media democracy.

In June 2003, the FCC ignored 3 million comments sent in by people opposed to the commission's proposal to deregulate big media corporations that would have permitted unprecedented industry consolidation. The public's response to the FCC measure was by far the largest-ever on proposed rule changes by any governmental body. Prometheus was the lead plaintiff, joined by other groups, in a lawsuit against the FCC that was filed a year ago.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Hannah Sassaman, program director of the Prometheus Radio Project, about the danger the original FCC rule changes posed, not only by concentrating ownership within a medium like radio or television, but across all communications media. She also discusses a promising new development in Congress.

For more information, call (215) 727-9620 or visit the group's website at www.Prometheusradio.org

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