Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States

Friday, April 21st (2:10-3:10pm)

13th Symposium on

Development and Social Transformation

Deregulation Of The Telecommunications Industry And Its Effects On Message

Diversity

Brenna Holmes

Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States

13th Symposium onDevelopment and Social Transformation

The Deregulation of the The Deregulation of the U.S. U.S.

Telecommunications Telecommunications Industries:Industries:

How Increased Corporate How Increased Corporate Mergers & Vertical Integration Mergers & Vertical Integration

has has

Affected Message Diversity & Affected Message Diversity & DemocracyDemocracyBy Brenna Holmes

OutlineOutline

How Message Diversity Affects How Message Diversity Affects DemocracyDemocracy

Background Info: 1934 & 1996 ActsBackground Info: 1934 & 1996 Acts• Definitions of JargonDefinitions of Jargon

The “Corporate Filter” EffectThe “Corporate Filter” Effect

The Future TrendsThe Future Trends

Diverse Messages lead to Diverse Messages lead to Diverse Ideas.Diverse Ideas.

Diverse Ideas lead to Diverse Ideas lead to Healthy Debate.Healthy Debate.

Healthy Debate leads Healthy Debate leads to an Educated Public.to an Educated Public.

An Educated Public leads An Educated Public leads to a more Democratic to a more Democratic

Society.Society.

Corporate Mergers lead to fewer Corporate Mergers lead to fewer Owners. Owners.

Fewer Owners lead to fewer Points Fewer Owners lead to fewer Points of View. of View.

Fewer Points of View lead to Fewer Points of View lead to Homogenous Thinking. Homogenous Thinking.

Homogenous Thinking leads to Homogenous Thinking leads to Public Complacency. Public Complacency.

Public Complacency leads to a Public Complacency leads to a Loss of Public Power. Loss of Public Power.

Loss of Public Power leads to a Loss of Public Power leads to a Submission to the owners ideas Submission to the owners ideas

BackgroundBackground

The U.S. defaults to trusting/wanting a PCM The U.S. defaults to trusting/wanting a PCM • Telecom infrastructure creates a natural Telecom infrastructure creates a natural

monopoly & bottlenecks in distributionmonopoly & bottlenecks in distribution 1996 Telecommunications Act1996 Telecommunications Act

• Massively deregulated television and radio Massively deregulated television and radio industries, allowed cross-industry mergers, industries, allowed cross-industry mergers, increased audience viewership control and increased audience viewership control and vertical integrationvertical integration

Vertical Integration & Synergistic Vertical Integration & Synergistic MergersMergers

Cross-Industry & Synergistic Mergers Cross-Industry & Synergistic Mergers • Allows media companies to own or control Allows media companies to own or control

multiple methods of message distribution & to multiple methods of message distribution & to cross promote.cross promote.

TV stations own radio stations, own cable networks, TV stations own radio stations, own cable networks, own wireless phone services, own ISPs, own own wireless phone services, own ISPs, own newspapers, magazines, and book publishers, etc.newspapers, magazines, and book publishers, etc.

Vertical IntegrationVertical Integration• Allows production, distribution & sales to be Allows production, distribution & sales to be

owned & controlled by one company.owned & controlled by one company. Universal Pictures & Universal TheatersUniversal Pictures & Universal Theaters

The “Corporate Filter” The “Corporate Filter” EffectEffect

The majority of what we see, hear, The majority of what we see, hear, & read is biased to & read is biased to promote or at promote or at least not offendleast not offend the parent the parent company’s views and interests.company’s views and interests.

The FutureThe Future Digital broadcasts (DTV). Mandated switch Digital broadcasts (DTV). Mandated switch

by 2009. A little known gift from Congress by 2009. A little known gift from Congress to the broadcast stations in the ‘96 Act.to the broadcast stations in the ‘96 Act.• Broadcasters promise multicasting, but w/out Broadcasters promise multicasting, but w/out

public scrutiny, it may not happen. public scrutiny, it may not happen.

GE may sell NBC, if allowed who buys it? GE may sell NBC, if allowed who buys it? • Could be Time Warner Could be Time Warner (1(1stst broadcast station), broadcast station),

Disney Disney (2(2ndnd: ABC),: ABC), News Corp. News Corp. (2(2ndnd: Fox),: Fox), or or Viacom Viacom (2(2ndnd: CBS). : CBS).

SourcesSources The Project for Excellence in Journalism The Project for Excellence in Journalism

www.stateofthemedia.org/2006www.stateofthemedia.org/2006 Columbia Journalism Review Columbia Journalism Review

www.cjr.org/tools/ownerswww.cjr.org/tools/owners Global Issues: Corporate Influence in the Global Issues: Corporate Influence in the

Media Media www.globalissues.org/humanrights/media/corporations/owww.globalissues.org/humanrights/media/corporations/ownerswners

I Want Media: News & Resources I Want Media: News & Resources www.iwantmedia.com/consolidationwww.iwantmedia.com/consolidation

Thank YouThank You

Congressional Ethics Commission: Yes or No?

Daniel Kelley

Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States

13th Symposium onDevelopment and Social Transformation

Congressional Ethics Commissions: Yes or No? Daniel Kelley

Should Congress appoint an Ethics Commission? What is an Ethics Commission? What is the purpose of a

commission? What would be its strengths and

weaknesses? Should Congress appoint one?

Ethics Committees

Senate Select Committee on Ethics (6 Senators). House of Rep. Committee on Standards and

Official Conduct (14 Representatives). Part of the Congress and members have other

duties as Congressmen and woman. Critics complain that they are inactive and

ineffective. Conflict in judging people you rely on to do your

job.

Ethics Commission

Senate Bill S.2259, Office of Public Integrity, as offered by Illinois Senator Barak O’Bama.

Independent Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission.

Composed of 9 members chosen in bi-partisan way (1 former judge & 1 former member of Congress).

Modeled after Commissions that serve in Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee.

Currently there are Ethics Commissions serving in 39 state legislatures.

Purpose of Proposed Commission Act Independent of but serve both Senate and

House of Representatives. Investigate lobbying disclosures. Investigate lawmakers and staff who violate

restrictions on interactions with lobbyists. Conduct research concerning government ethics

and initiate education programs. Initiate investigations regarding ethics violations

and refer them to Senate ethics committees. Issue advisory opinions to help inform ethics in

decision making. File annual reports with Congress that disclose all

activities.

Possible Strengths of Having a Commission Singleness of purpose-- not distracted by duties

other than ethics related charter. Promotes ethics internally through education and

advisory opinions. Promotes externally through powers to

investigate. Supposedly independent. Many state commissions promote transparency

in GOV. with annual reports and advisory opinions that are published online (Florida, Texas, Tennessee).

Discernable weakness

Congress must retain its power to discipline its own members.

Constitution requires that senate “determine the rule of its proceeding, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with concurrence of two-thirds vote, expel its members [Sect. 5 article 2].

State commissions have survived constitutional challenges because ethics committees were still in tact.

Congress must appoint the commission, establish its purpose, and will control its finances.

Any commission will be vulnerable to retaliation by those it is compelled to judge.

History in State Legislatures shows retaliation to be the rule Kentucky Ethics Commission initiated 18

investigations in first year and its powers to investigate were rescinded by the Kentucky Legislature

Similar situations occurred in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Hawaii

Texas Ethics Commission was not funded for 4 years Legislators who get investigated have posted bills to

have commissions abolished. Beth A Rosenson in her book, Shadowlands of

Conduct, researched 26 state ethics commissions and found that all but two commissions lost power over time

Recommendations

Don’t authorize an Ethics Enforcement Commission at this time but don’t abandon the idea.

Explore ways to increase independence first (I.E. would a constitutional amendment be required).

Establish best way to utilize commission strengths like ethics education, advisory opinions, and central accessible storage of ethics information and disclosure reports.

Don’t authorize a commission that is compelled to bite the hand that feeds it.

Any commission will need continuous public support.

Political-Bureaucratic Communications And US Social Security Reform

Matt Guardino

Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States

13th Symposium onDevelopment and Social Transformation

Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States

Friday, April 21st (2:10-3:10pm)

Brenna Holmes Deregulation Of The Telecommunications Industry And Its Effects On Message Diversity

Daniel Kelley Congressional Ethics Commission: Yes or No?

Matt Guardino Political-Bureaucratic Communications and US Social Security Reform

13th Symposium onDevelopment and Social Transformation