FOLKS: Re-posting this for those still thinking through your term paper topic. Perhaps of interest.
From Steven Waldman, author of the FCC's report on the future information needs of communities (in the Columbia Journalism Report).
"So instead of having a theological debate about consolidation—“good” vs. “evil”?—is it possible to create media policy that allows mergers that are likely to help the local media ecosystems and blocks those that are not? One possibility is that the FCC allow more companies to merge—giving them “waivers” from the ban—if they made a strong case that such a combination would have a demonstrable positive impact on the provision of local content, including (but not limited to) journalism. When the FCC presided over the NBC-Comcast merger, the companies pledged a variety of steps to improve local news and assist other organizations in the community that were doing so. The FCC could incorporate those kinds of voluntary conditions in other local mergers."
What do you think? This a great resource to help you think through your term paper topic and proposal!
