Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 16, 2003 Broad Coalition Takes on FCC over Children's Television OAKLAND, Calif.—A coalition of prominent public health, media research and advocacy organizations has challenged the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate the impact on children before proceeding with plans to modify or eliminate several existing media ownership rules. In detailed comments filed with the FCC, the groups contend that the federal agency has a public interest obligation under the 1996 Telecommunications Act to examine how such changes will affect children’s television. In order to promote diversity, competition, localism and ensure sufficient original programming for children—key to quality children’s television—the coalition says the Commission should retain existing media ownership rules with only minor modifications. It argues that relaxing the rules will reduce competition and stifle innovation in children’s television, as well as increase commercialism for America’s kids. Polls show that parents already are very concerned about the existing level of commercialism to which children are exposed. "We want more and better original programming for kids," said Patti Miller, director of Children Now’s Children & the Media program, which is leading the coalition. "The Commission appears to be moving in the opposite direction." The coalition is made up of the Action Coalition for Media Education, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Center for Media Education, Children Now, Mediascope, National Association of Child Advocates, National Institute on Media and the Family and the National PTA. FCC Chairman Michael Powell has agreed to meet with coalition representatives next week in Washington. Already, more than 1,100 letters have been sent to the FCC expressing concern about kids’ TV. As public awareness of the issue increases, hearings scheduled for today in New York and Feb 18 in Los Angeles also give citizens an opportunity to participate. An additional hearing in Richmond, Va. has yet to be scheduled. Children’s television is the principal area of programming where Congress has determined that special oversight is necessary, establishing strict rules on advertising during children’s programming and mandating that broadcasters air a minimum three hours of "educational/informational" programs per week. Congress has yet to intervene directly on the media ownership issue, although Congressional hearings have been mooted. The groups also are calling on the FCC to promote local programming, which they say will support children’s healthy development. Research indicates that media consolidation diminishes the amount of locally-produced programming, diminishing opportunities to enhance the education and civic engagement of children. Although little research has been conducted on the impact of past media mergers on children’s programming, such consolidation has resulted in fewer companies producing all programming, even as cable and satellite broadcasting have increased the number of channels available to the public. For example, in 1970, 20 studios or production houses supplied 68 percent of all prime time programming. By 2002, just 10 studios programmed 88 percent of prime time, according to a recent study conducted by the FCC. When addressing the variety of programming available to the public, the Commission previously has said it believes that cable and the Internet will provide additional sources of programming even if such diversity among broadcast channels decreases. However, an increasing amount of the same children’s programming is shared between cable and broadcast partners, potentially diminishing the diversity available to child audiences. According to the coalition, another reason these media cannot be considered substitutes for broadcast television is because many children do not have sufficient access to cable, satellite and the Internet. The existing ownership rules were established primarily to ensure that broadcasters "serve the public interest, convenience and necessity" by: Preventing a network from owning stations that broadcast to more than 35 percent of the nation’s homes; Preventing a media conglomerate from owning two television networks; Restricting a newspaper from owning a television station in the same city; Restricting a broadcaster from owning two television stations in the same market, unless there are at least eight other competitors; Restricting a company from owning more than eight radio stations in the same market.  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.