Stop Media Consolidation Now

Though I imagine many people have moved on from the issue, even forgotten the problem exists, Media Council Hawaiʻi continues to fight media consolidation right here in Hawaiʻi. We have, in partnership with the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown Law, filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to halt the takeover of three television stations (KGMB, KHNL, KFVE) in our market, by Raycom Media of Alabama. We took this action because Raycom's layoff of 68 people, combined and simulcast operations, and reduction in enterprise reporting, diminishes diversity of opinion, competition, and localism. The complaint is still alive and we continue to wait for a decision. While we wait, the issue continues to get attention nation-wide. A report, Local TV & Shared Services Agreements: Examining News Content in Honolulu, from the University of Delaware lays out the damaged caused by the media consolidation here in Hawaiʻi.

SharedServicesStudy.pdf

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Also, a new campaign, Change the Channels - Expose Covert Media Consolidation, by Free Press, uses Hawaii in its new video. Check it out: