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FCC Hearings
Complete Text with Cartoons and Links can be viewed at Higher Level Astrology.com
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has announced its intent to deregulate ownership controls which have stood since the 1934 Communications Act. The new rules would allow a mammoth media corporation in one city to own eight radio stations, two major TV stations, and the largest daily newspaper.
With that cozy arrangement, it will be all but impossible for independent, and differing voices, to compete on an equal footing. They will be, in effect, squeezed out by the bigger companies. The 1934 Communications Act proclaimed, "The Airwaves Belong to the People". But that, apparently, doesn't mean the People will be provided with a diversity of opinions and viewpoints. But wait.....isn't a free, separate and unconstrained press an essential hallmark of a functional Democracy??
FCC Chairman, Michael Powell, son of US Secretary of State Colin Powell, believes the public will be better served with "more news programming" if federal regulations are changed allowing newspaper owners to add radio, cable and television stations to their monopoly. The danger of allowing this kind of saturation by one voice, one opinion, can readily be seen. In effect this concentration of power will allow corporate media moguls to dominate whatever region they choose to saturate with their bias.
Instead of providing more and better news programming, the increased quanity is sure to only guarantee the public with more mimicing and aping of the administration's viewpoints by promoting their Right Wing agenda, while all factions of the empire goosestep along to expedite the Party Line. That message being a constant bombardment of propaganda, rhetoric and unrelenting lies and deceptions.
If this FCC proposal goes into effect you can look forward to more Orwellian dominance of the airwaves; as if we don't have enough of that already. There's little difference between MS-Gop and Faux News as it is. Look for "All Bush, All the Time" to saturate the media, with each station and newspaper sounding nearly identical to the other as they proceed to dismantle the very tenets of our democracy. Fairness, accuracy and objectivity are fast becoming endangered species.
The proposed deregulation will give control and monopoly to the giant media conglomerations and mark the death of the frustratingly few, small, independent voices that have been all but bullied into silence over the airwaves now. With these media magnates taking over nearly all forms of public communications; radio, TV, and cable stations, along with newspapers, can the Internet be far behind? Just because it hasn't been specifically mentioned, don't kid yourself into thinking it's been overlooked.
Once deregulation takes effect, the pretense of "Fair and Balanced" news and everyone-has-a-right-to-their-opinion will become as antiquated as high-button shoes and the horse and buggy. Currently the ONLY arena that still provides an open forum for free-thinking and independent discussion is the Internet. If we lose this battle, the only thing that keeps us from the 24/7 frontal attack ala "Big Brother" is our tenuous connection to the Internet. We may soon see a day when well respected sites, that bring a variety of individual and diverse opinions, may be permanently stifled as well.
From an historical perspective, you may recall that when the Nazis took over Germany the first thing they did was seize complete control of the Press. This is exactly what certain extremists in the government are trying to do today. If the people in charge have complete control of the Press, then the Press becomes nothing more than a tool of propaganda and all the people know is what the Government wants them to know. It's a very dangerous situation.
I don't want a world without BartCop, or Mike Malloy; Media Whores Online, Echaton, Counterspin Central, Online Journal, or Democratic Underground, etc, etc. Or the thousands of other brave and creative souls that continue to advocate resistance and refuse to knuckle under from media pressure. Considering the affliation of the religious fundamendalists with the Conservative Right Wing that currently dominates the Republican Party, sites that promote the study and belief in Astrology could also, easily, be silenced. That's pretty scary.
With that in mind, activist Ben Cohen, of "Ben & Jerry's" Ice Cream, has put together, through his organization, "True Majority" , a way to vent your dismay at the FCC's intention to blatantly do away with our Constitutional protections of Free Speech and Freedom of the Press. Ben is paying for faxes to be sent to the FCC office in Washington, DC. If you're as concerned about this issue as I am, please click on the link below and read the Full Story. A letter is already composed, all you have to do is add your name to it.
Full Story
Then please forward this to anyone else you think agrees that journalism is the lifeblood of democracy.
Before the frail candle blows out on the experiment of Democracy, and our glory days of pluralistic nonconformity becomes nothing but a faded memory we speak of in hushed tones to our grandchildren, I'd like to examine the chart for the FCC meeting, which is scheduled to commence at 9:30 AM, June 2, 2003, in Washington, DC.
According to the notice posted on their website, the FCC will be holding an open Review of the Commission’s Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (MB Docket No. 02-277); Cross-Ownership of Broadcast Stations and Newspapers (MM Docket No. 01-235); Rules and Policies Concerning Multiple Ownership of Radio Broadcast Stations in Local Markets (MM Docket No. 01-317); and Definition of Radio Markets (MM Docket No. 00-244).
So, let's look into our bag of goodies and see who's going to go home with all the marbles. NOT, that they haven't already LOST all of theirs!
This is a tricky chart to read since this isn't a hoary chart, set for the time when a thought or idea came to mind. It's not exactly an electional chart either, since this isn't an enterprise that is being timed to take the best advantage of a beneficial planetary arrangement, like selling a house, a wedding, or launching a new business. But yet, we can take cues and techniques from both methods.
Chart for FCC Hearings June 2, 2003
We get affirmation that this chart is correct with Virgo, ruled by Mercury, the planet of communications, appearing on the cusp of the Third House. This is fitting since we are dealing with an entity devoted to furthering and promoting communications, a Third House domain. Mercury itself is in the autonomous Tenth House, indicating that this meeting includes a number of authoritarian and influencial individuals. Mercury is also involved in a number of important squares that have direct bearing on the outcome.
I'm more than a little uncomfortable seeing Saturn, at 29 degrees, winding up the last days of a long and exhaustive trek through Gemini. The planet of loss and misfortune, in the sign of information and expression, can't bode well for the preservation of Free Speech or an open market place in the promotion and exchange of ideas and communication.
Indeed Saturn's presence in Gemini, nearly since this current administration's inception, has done much to erode and undermine our liberties guaranteed through the Bill of Rights that we, as Americans, have taken for granted. Or maybe this is a good illustration of the old blues refrain, "You Don't Miss Your Water 'till the Well Run Dry". Saturn in the transitional 29th degree indicates this is the beginning of a phase that could easily turn sour or may be the tentative peek into a snaky Pandora's Box of things to come; we have reason to be cynical.
Interesting, and also appropriate, to find Leo, the sign of entertainment, on the ASC. But more than a little disconcerting when you realize the lines between information and entertainment are so frequently blurred these days as to make them both nearly indistinguishable. This is apparent when an appalling number of people admit they get the bulk of their news from the late night variety programs hosted by happy-to-kick-Clinton-and-the-Democrat's-in-the-balls Jay Leno, or well-I'm-more-relucant-but---hey, anything-for-a-laugh, David Letterman.
The crux of this chart can be seen with Leo on the ASC, and ruler Sun in Gemini, yep we certainly are dealing with a vital (Sun) and fundamental linch-pin of Democracy. If we confuse entertainment with information, and that is done deliberately to delude the public into a false sense of complacency, then how will we be able to distinguish truth from fiction when that distinction is essential?
It shouldn't, then, come as any surprise to find Mercury in a big fat square to Neptune, the planet of corporations, AND ruling the Ninth, the domain of corporations. Is that kismet, or what?? With both planets gaining strength by their angular position. The rhetorical phrases lauding deregulation as a new and improved way for the people to have even greater access to a cornucopia of information, no matter through what medium, will be flying thick and heavy. You'll need hip boots to navigate through all the bullshit!
As amusing as that sounds, there is the graver danger that comes with a square involving Neptune. That of being deceived and deliberately mislead. For most people the thought of having to dig for the truth and to discard the usual pablum spoonfed to us as information sounds like a major drag, and it is, if truth be told. But it becomes too easy to give in and to just stare, trancelike, at the TV set. When that happens, Neptune has prevailed and you're well on your way to being throughly indoctrinated. We need to be very watchful and vigilant, particularly with Mercury in the square to Neptune; lies abound.
Hey! This is starting to sound like a "Workers of the World Unite"...kind of speech. Well, ok...if the shoe fits.
Mercury is also in square to Jupiter, the planet of expansion and growth. The lies perpetrated by Neptune are further compounded by Jupiter; notice the very tight opposition between the two, falling across the first/seventh axis, indicating this will play out in a public realm. We've discussed the ramifications of a Jupiter/Neptune opposition in previous editions, but here is another example of how, in this case, we are being forced to accept a bill of goods.
With Mercury as the anchor of the T-Square, we don't see, or comprehend (Mercury) the dangers of the duplicitous (Neptune) words we are being told. With Jupiter all is feel-good and "don't worry, be happy." If only. This Pie-in-the-Sky mentality is an extention of the current pipe dream (Neptune) that desperately wants to believe that we can have a huge, whopping (Jupiter) financial panty-raid that benefits (Jupiter) the Super Rich, and still have plenty of money to fund a war, and pay for a burgeoning domestic agenda. Oh, and by the way, don't worry about nine million unemployed, that's just "figures"....not really people. This from the same group who brought us the tragically hilarious, "deficits don't matter."
It's almost creepy to see the symbolism of greedy Jupiter opposing Neptune, ruling corporations and media conglomerations. You can almost see the CEO's of various media giants salivating and rubbing their hands together as their plans to saturate the country, region by region, unfold. Independently owned and managed radio and TV stations, Neptune ruled by the way, along with a free press, must be feeling like Poland right about now, as the corporate Hitler prepares to trample over them, all sanctioned and affirmed by the FCC, of course.
Just keep repeating the mantra, "This is good for the country. This will give us more and better information." YES! We LOVE The Leader!! And yes....that was sarcasm.
The approaching opposition between Sun, the chart ruler, and Pluto, ruling commisions, of which the FCC is one, is also ominous. This aspect indicates the damage done by this probably won't become reality until Sun and Pluto are closer to exact; Pluto retrograding may delay the full enactment of this proposal.
The FCC, an organization which is supposed to have the interests of the People at heart, is clearly encouraging the mergers and take-overs of Big Media at the inevitable extermination of smaller, and less powerful (Pluto) communicative outlets. This conflict is shown by the trine between Jupiter and Pluto, and illustrates how easy it's become for a government agency, a representative of the People, to find itself in the back pocket of Corporate Business.
Throw in the opposition to illusive Neptune, which is on the other end of a sextile to Pluto, and we can easily comprehend how the FCC can turn its back on its first responsibility, that being to the Public, and to, wholeheartedly, a suspicious arangement with Media Moguls.
This is another one of so many events and circumstances, foisted on us by this administration, that will, later--when our brains return to our bodies--be put in the "what were we thinking?" category. But that's the whole problem, we're being discouraged and diverted from thinking for ourselves. Brainwashing starts in very incidious and subtle ways. But, with Pluto in the picture, the effects are long-lasting and deeply entrenched in our collective psyche.
With Mars ruling the public Mid-heaven, and also in another square involving Mercury, look for some fierce resistance and strongly vocal opposition to this plan. This chart is persistant in its lack of much to be joyous about. The lack of trines and the dominance of squares is not encouraging for a rosy outcome.
The trine between Sun and Neptune normally indicates an idealistic, even romantic time when goals are set and achieved and creativity flows easily. However, in this chart, perhaps the only romance to be pursued will be between the FCC and the gigantic media industry heads. Why do I get this horrific vision of Roger Ailes on top of Michael Powell screaming, "Who's Your Daddy? I said who's Your Daddy?"
Well, there's a disturbing thought I'll try to get out of my head.
How the trine may manifest is likely in the continuation of the public's own escape into serene complacency. It's almost like we've taken a collective dose of an anti-anxiety medication, we offer such pathetic, and easily overcome, opposition. We're so easily persuaded that everything is just wonderful, and our lives are never better. Looking for reassurance from the Glass Tit as we stare, spellbound, at the latest missive from CNN, et al.
But trouble and restlessness are brewing, with Venus and Mars in square. The normally lusty configuration between Love and War can brim over in frustrations and festering hostilities expressed in an all out declaration of conflict, making one wonder for which Master this government agency will declare its loyalty and allegiance.
The Moon, representing the People, is at home in Cancer, but is hampered by being in the Twelfth House, of loss and sorrow. The Moon, although not void, is poorly aspected, indicating the People are in a weakened and debilitated state. Coming from the Twelfth, we are being deliberately kept in the dark. Maybe the trine to rebellious Uranus is the source of our salvation. Change (Uranus) can only come to those who are willing to take the first step.
We started out as a nation of passionate insurgents, maybe this loss, this infringement of our basic civil liberties, as none before, will be the inducement to return to our ancestral roots of mutiny, and proclaim that a line has been drawn in the sand that will be crossed only by those who are reckless enough to defy us.
The trine between Moon and Uranus, with the later in the transitional Eighth indicates it's time to take back our power and to fight to perserve our independence, as we once did in this nation's infancy. Maybe it's time for our voices of dissent to be heard, loud and clear.
I am very cynical about this. In the June 2 chart Saturn at 29 Gemini squares ingress Mercury at 29 Pisces, I believe it is very possible that the public trust will be completely eroded in the major media outlets. Be afraid, be very afraid. All Rush, all the time. All Bush, all the time.
Thank you Geneva for writing this article. I was very happy to heed your suggestion and added my name to Ben Cohen's site, and I will pass it along to others. Fascinating article!!
Geneva, thanks so much for bringing this article to our attention. And a big thanks for charting the dreaded June 2nd disaster. For months I have helplessly watched this media monopoly take place, guided by the evil Powell, Jr.
I can only hope the public will revolt in time, if not, loss of our precious democracy is inevitable. I hope for a miracle from the stars, for I fear, only a miracle can help us now.
Geneva, again, thanks.
That phrase "be afraid, be very afraid" seems to be fairly popular with many folks--particularly in the religiose & political arena--however, I can't think of a worse constellation of thot to slip into the unconscious--individual or collective. Everytime I see & hear that phrase, I deliberately replace it to the best of my ability - "I am a child birthed out of The Universe, in which I live, move, & have my Being in faith, in peace & in joy."
The other phrase presupposes that I believe myself fearfully separated, cut-off, & in conflict/war with The Universe. Not helpful; not true. Besides which, even astrology would be made null n' void... so why would one bother with the study?
I'm still thinking that Saturn in Gemini will eventually manifest itself more as an inexorable "fated" push for media integrity, honesty, a return to a sturdy set of fair rules, & clear orderly thot. Mebbe it's BECAUSE the media has been so blatantly & deliberately abused that far more positive qualities will be the eventual result thru hard deliberate work... will come about BECAUSE of Saturn transiting thru Gemini... & that's at least as much a possibility as any other Saturnian possibility imo.
Some have said we are moving into the Age of Mind/Spirit... learning consciously to work creatively with the gift of our minds... learning to be truly SANE. I think this lil "job" could very well be initiated with a showing of just how out-of-whack & cosmically out-of-alignment our minds have been. That's what my whackyish mind thinks.
I am defeatist and hopeful. I don't watch TV, and get what I need from the world on the internet. It used to be, that when I went somewhere with a TV, I'd watch, but not anymore-- it's just so damn boring! These people are enforcing a monopoly, instead of choice. The lemmings will go off the cliff, the evolutionary spirit will find new and better ways to communicate.
Look, we are only a few years away from sites like this having video capability that's easy to use, widely accessible, and wireless, to be used anywhere; audio too, with radio anywhere anytime.
I'm not saying that the Republicans will not try and control the internet, they might well be stupid enough to try, I just don't think there's anything left worth fighting for on TV. With the melding that I am referring to above, they might try and co-opt the internet into the conglomerates, but that would be a war they would lose.... I think.
Vis, I place much hope in the internet but I am concerned that television will always play a crucial information (albeit propaganda)outlet for many people. Many poor minorities and poor whites, for example, still do not own a computer nor can they afford the monthly internet cost. These are the people whose Bush and the republican's policies are attacking, but they aren't fully aware of this because of the spin coming from the corporate media. Imagine, there are poor minorities voting republican, my mom's hairdresser is an example. Also, we make decisions according to the info available to us, and right now all information is tightly controlled by the propaganda machine known as the news media, visual and print.
We invaded Iraq with high public approval because the public was told that Iraq had WMD and was affilitated with Al Q. No respectable news outlet made a concerted move to point out the falsity of the charge. Even when evidence was presented that the claims being made by this adminstration against Iraq were bogus, i.e, documents claiming that Iraq tried to purchase plutonium from Niger were proven to be forgeries, the news media gave only a passing mention of the story and moved on. Therefore, with no strong rebuttal, the public believed the administration lie. This is the damage of a media monopoly.
Thanks Geneva, for making us aware of the machinations of the FCC. I'm sure it won't be long before they try to regulate the internet. One journalist that they won't be able to muzzle, is Maureen Dowd, the Washington correspondent for the NY Times. Her articles can be found in the Op-Ed section. She's a witty, incisive, no holes barred writer.
Sally, I bet that was you who posted the above. (hee hee) I was thinking along the same lines. Although some of us, who know better, avoid television coverage, that is all some people have access to. And it does seem to be working. These people are smart and obsessed that they are right, and have been working for years behind the scenes to control the population through their manipulation of the media. We have heard over and over that we must speak out, as Geneva said in her last line. It is frustrating when you DO speak out and no one seems to listen.
Laurie, that was my post. I guess what Sally has is catching.
Geneva,
How painful this story of struggle, ego, and fascism is, and how beautifully you tell it. Your site is to me that of a true warrior for human decency and spiritual accountability. You have done this with humor and fact. I so appreciate that, and offer you all the blessings allotted to me to give you for your heartfelt work.
In my lifetime I have watched everything I have worked for dismantled.....clean water, clean air, renewable fuels, family farmers, and support for our elderly. Now, freedom of speech and the right to have my vote counted have been added to the list. This FCC ruling is an attempted final hammer blow to freedom of information, the most necessary ingredient to democracy.
#53 Tao Te Ching
If I have just a little sense,
I will walk on the main road and my only fear will be of straying from it.
Keeping to the main road is easy,
But people love to be sidetracked.
When the court is arrayed in splendor,
The fields are full of weeds,
And the granaries are bare.
Some wear gorgeous clothes,
And indulge themselves with food and drink;
They have more possessions than they can use.
They are robber barons.
This is certainly not the way of Tao.
"The trine between Moon and Uranus, with the later in the transitional Eighth indicates it's time to take back our power and to fight to preserve our independence, as we once did in this nation's infancy. Maybe it's time for our voices of dissent to be heard, loud and clear."
These are words to heed.
PS I'm really looking forward to the day when the most important reason for checking my chart is my lovelife! Sheesh!
Moments ago the FCC voted to allow corporate media owners to expand their territory.
3 to 2 along party lines.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/1933473
June 2, 2003, 10:19AM Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators relaxed decades-old rules restricting media ownership today, permitting companies to buy more television stations and own a newspaper and a broadcast outlet in the same city.
The Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 -- along party lines -- to adopt a series of changes favored by media companies.
These companies argued that existing ownership rules were outmoded on a media landscape that has been substantially altered by cable TV, satellite broadcasts and the Internet.
Critics say the eased restrictions would likely lead to a wave of mergers landing a few giant media companies in control of even more of what the public sees, hears and reads.
The decision was a victory for FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who has faced growing criticism from diverse interests opposed to his move toward deregulation.
"Our actions will advance our goals of diversity and localism," Powell said. He said the old restrictions were too outdated to survive legal challenges and the FCC "wrote rules to match the times."
The FCC said a single company can now own TV stations that reach 45 percent of U.S. households instead of 35 percent. The major networks wanted the cap eliminated, while smaller broadcasters said a higher cap would allow the networks to gobble up stations and take away local control of programming.
The FCC largely ended a ban on joint ownership of a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same city. The provision lifts all "cross-ownership" restrictions in markets with nine or more TV stations. Smaller markets would face some limits and cross-ownership would be banned in markets with three or fewer TV stations.
The agency also eased rules governing local TV ownership so one company can own two television stations in more markets and three stations in the largest cities such as New York and Los Angeles.
"The more you dig into this order the worse things get," said Michael Copps, one of the commission's Democrats. He said the changes empowers "a new media elite" to control news and entertainment.
Fellow Democrat Jonathan Adelstein said the changes are "likely to damage the media landscape for decades to come."
The rule changes are expected to face court challenges from media companies wanting more deregulation and consumer groups seeking stricter restrictions.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/1933473
On my AOL masthead a few months ago there was a photo of GWB (we call him Fuzzy for fuzzy math) and the caption said 'Big Brother stands firm'.
No fooling!
McCain has called the 5 chairmen to testify before Congress.
Hollings, Dorgan and Lott have announced a bipartisan rejection of the FCC's stance and said it will be fought at the legislative level.
Press conf on streaming video on Cspan.org. Don't give up? it ain't over, as Ted said.
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Thanks for that insightful comment! It makes interesting reading, especially when I need a payday loan .
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