FCC To "Resolve" Media Company Corruption

[GhostShip]

It seems the Cartel is trying to do its best to sweeten a deal with the FCC regulators who are supposed to monitor their corrupt practices.

http://p2pnet.net/story/10983

While they're busily slagging the people who keep them rich, fat and happy, the Big 4 have themselves repeatedly been found guilty of illegal price fixing and flat-out bribery, aka payola, although the word 'guilty' is never used in their carefully crafted legal documents explicating the 'settlements' terms under which they weasel out from under.

Now, "FCC commissioners are mulling a staff proposal that could resolve the agency's investigation into payola allegations between the record labels and major radio broadcasters, according to industry and government sources," says The Hollywood Reporter.
Mull, mull. One can just see the FCC commissioners nodding their wise, old heads as try to "resolve" the situation in a manner that's fair and equitable - to the Big 4.

What's to resolve? The labels are guilty of using their weight and money to bribe disc jockeys and others to unfairly get special, undeserved air time for their 'product'.

"While details of the Enforcement Bureau's proposal were sketchy, sources said that radio station groups would be required to set aside a certain amount of airtime for music produced independently," The Hollywood Reporter goes on. "The radio groups also would agree to a code of conduct and an education program, the sources said."

And then comes the well used, hoary, "As part of the deal, the radio broadcasters would not admit to any wrongdoing

If the FCC cannot find any wrong doing and the independent investigator has done I suggest the FCC has been compromised by payments snd should be investigated itself in light of the anti consumer and illegal activity they have taken no action over.

[GhostShip]

It seems at least one senator is expressing concern over the "sweep under the mat" proposals laid out by the FCC.

http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=332830

Sen. Russ Feingold has written an open letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, responding to yesterday's news that the commission is considering a proposal to resolve the ongoing payola investigation. In the letter, Feingold urges the FCC to not entrust an industry that "former Attorney General Spitzer has already shown to have violated payola rules" to police itself.
Feingold urges Martin to "instead seek strong binding settlements that ensure future compliance with the law and reassure consumers they will have access to small, independent and local labels and artists via the public airwaves."

Feingold notes that the rumored proposal would "not even admit any wrongdoing on the part of the companies - something that is typical for such an agreement," especially when "there was significant wrongdoing, both through traditional payola's direct bribes and new forms that sought to use middlemen to conceal the violations."
The Senator also asks that any consent decree from the FCC should require radio stations to allow "meaningful access to the airwaves for independent labels and local artists." Feingold goes as far to suggest a "weekly airtime commitment" for such labels and artists that spans "all regions, formats and time-slots" and also contain rules to prevent radio companies from meeting "their obligation only in certain cites, formats or during low-listener time-slots."

Well its good to know independent artist have at least one friend in the senate, those taking "donations from the RIAA/MPAA and affiliated companies should stop trying to hijack democracy and represent the people who they supposedly serve.