The Federal Communications Commission recently relaxed the rules regarding media ownership. The ruling, passed with a 3-2 vote, allows companies to buy additional television stations and own a newspaper and broadcast outlet in the same city.
In changing the laws restricting media ownership, the FCC is opening the doors for a surge of mergers in the industry. This is bad news because it potentially could lead to less competition and one market.
With no alternative market to allow for competition, it will lead to a downfall in the media world. There is usually agreement among newspaper competitors that it is beneficial to have two newspapers in one city, but with these new rules in effect, this agreement is now worthless. The same goes for television and broadcast outlets. These rules will eliminate smaller competitors until all of the power regarding what the public sees, hears and reads is in the hands of a select few media giants.
One rule that was kept in place is the ban preventing ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX from merging, which is smart because it allows for some competition. But the rest of these new, relaxed rules lead the media industry down a path toward media control in the United States.
There are already cases that show what can happen when big media companies are allowed to merge. For example, NBC is affiliated with General Electric, and ABC with Disney. Under these new rules, it is not certain that if General Electric does something wrong, that NBC or any of the companies it controls will report on it. This will raise concern in the public regarding the media, their credibility and the quality of news.
The media are a huge profit industry and it is beneficial to have competition in the market. These new rules might cause an eruption of mergers across the board that could hurt the industry in the end. The FCC should not have relaxed the media ownership laws as much as it did. The media should not be looked at as a business. Media outlets are a public service to the people, and this is important to remember before the merger movement begins.
Internet rumors require sensibility
Once the ball starts rolling, it's hard to stop it. This is what happens when dealing with rumors spread via the Internet. While there are numerous sites dedicated to dispelling these stories, it is the responsibility of the company or organization at the heart of the rumor to step up and work with the problem sensibly.
The Starbucks Corporation entered the rumor mill through the circulation of an e-mail message titled, Starbucks vs. Israel. Readers were asked to stop frequenting Starbucks and to forward the message to as many others as possible. Starbucks employees made professional decisions and handled the problem as best as they could.
Only three of 24 Fortune 500 companies that have faced the snowball effect of Internet rumors have handled the situations in a 'responsible manner,' according to a 2001 study conducted at Wake Forest University. This is unacceptable, and these companies need to follow Starbucks' suit and take responsibility to dispel rumors defaming them.
Groups that have not been as fortunate or successful in curbing rumors include the Proctor & Gamble Company and the feminine hygiene industry. When Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC, an Internet rumor claimed the "company changed its name because it was serving mutated birds without beaks or feet instead of healthy chickens," according to a New York Times article. Companies, such as Proctor & Gamble in the KFC case, might want to be discreet in trying to stop rumors from circulating, but the Internet reaches millions of people. There is a fine line between being too vocal about a rumor and not being vocal enough, and companies need to find the balance to responsibly handle Internet rumors.
The beauty of the Internet is that it is an outlet of free expression. There is no room for gullibility when the Internet is involved. People are supposed to be skeptical when perusing the Internet because it is known that anyone has the capability to put information on the Web, whether it is true or not. Computer users should realize the importance of recognizing credibility when it comes to pulling information from the Internet.
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