Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 2, 2003 Big Media Win, Little Kids Lose Statement by Patti Miller, Director of Children & the Media Program: "Children Now is greatly disappointed in today's FCC ruling. While the Commission's decision offers the child audience some protection from the serious harm the rule change will have on children's programming, it is but a small rowboat for children to navigate in the tidal wave of media consolidation that is about to occur. "Children Now has serious concerns about the multitude of negative impacts that increased concentration of media ownership will have on children's programming, but we are gratified the Commission has responded to the urgings of child advocates by taking a small step toward addressing these issues. Our recent research shows that media consolidation has contributed to a serious decline in the availability and diversity of children's television. We believe the FCC's decision today will further erode the quantity and quality of children's programming. We strongly urge the Commission to further investigate the effects its decision today will have on the child audience." Background The Federal Communications Commission announced today sweeping changes to regulations governing the number of media outlets a single company may own. This action had been anticipated and protested by disparate advocacy groups and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for many months. Opponents of the changes included a coalition led by Children Now, a child research and action organization, which was concerned about their particular harm to children's television programming. In an effort to bolster its case against further media consolidation, Children Now released on May 21, 2003 a study showing a dramatic decrease in the quantity of children's television programming in Los Angeles after rule changes allowed the purchase of independent stations by media giants that already owned stations in the city. In a last-minute decision, the FCC made a concession to child advocates by inserting a provision which prohibits companies that own multiple stations in one market to count programming they air on more than one channel toward their educational television obligations under the Children's Television Act. Children Now is a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization working to raise children's well-being to the top of the national policy agenda. The organization focuses on ensuring quality health care, a solid education and a positive media environment for all children. Children Now's strategic approach creates awareness of children's needs, develops effective policy solutions and engages those who can make change happen.