NgoLwesine maphakathi noMeyi, iSenethi lenze into ebingacatshangwa eminyakeni eyishumi edlule. Iholwa nguDemocrat u-Byron Dorgan, amalungu ephalamende-amaDemocrats namaRepublicans, abakhululekileyo kanye nama-conservatives-anikeze u-Rupert Murdoch kanye nezingcweti zemithombo yezindaba uhlobo lwempama ongcweti bomkhathi abangalulindele kubantu abafa nje eCapitol Hill. Ngevoti lezwi eliqinisekise imizwa ecishe ibe ngazwi linye yamalungu ephalamende abezwe amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu baseMelika befuna ukuthi benze okuthile, izishayamthetho zasusa umzamo we-FCC wokuvumela uhlobo oluqinile lokuhlanganisa abezindaba: ukuguqulwa komthetho oklanyelwe ukuvumela. inkampani eyodwa ukuba ibe namaphephandaba ansuku zonke namasonto onke kanye neziteshi zethelevishini nemisakazo emakethe yendawo efanayo. Ukususwa kwebha eyingqophamlando ekusakazeni-ngobunikazi bephephandaba sekuyisikhathi eside kuyinto ehamba phambili ye-Big Media. Bafuna ukukhulisa imali etholwayo ngokuthenga izakhiwo ezinkulu zemithombo yezindaba emadolobheni aseMelika, bavale amagumbi ezindaba aqhudelanayo nokudala inkulumo yendawo elingana yonke into ebaluleke kakhulu kodwa ethokozisayo emiphakathini okufanele bayisebenzele futhi iphupho elibi lentando yeningi.
Lezo ngezinye zezindaba ezinhle ngesikhathi lapho inkulumo-mpikiswano yenqubomgomo yemithombo yezindaba ichazwe kabusha ngokuvela komnyakazo wokuguqula emazingeni aphansi. UBush Administration uhlela ukusebenzisa amadola wombuso ukuxhasa izintatheli ezinobungane futhi aqhubekisele phambili inkulumo-ze yayo ngokungemthetho njengoba izindaba ezisemthethweni zidaluliwe futhi zamiswa, lapho iNdlu iphasisa ukuchitshiyelwa kwesabelomali sokuvikela esichitha noma yimuphi "umzamo obumbene wokusakaza" yiPentagon. Ukusakaza komphakathi, ukusakaza komphakathi kanye neziteshi zokufinyelela ngekhebula ziye zamelana nokuhlaselwa okuvela kubaxhumanisi bezinkampani, ama-fundamentalist censors kanye nabalingani be-GOP Congressional abahlanganyela ngokufanayo. Futhi ngokumelene nokuhlaselwa okugcwele okuvela ezimbonini ezimbili, ucingo kanye nekhebula-imodeli yazo yonke yebhizinisi isekelwe ekunxenxeni iCongress kanye nabalawuli ukuze bathole amalungelo okuzibusa-ukunyakaza kwabantu basemazingeni aphansi kugcine ukungathathi hlangothi kwenethiwekhi, isichibiyelo sokuqala senkathi yedijithali, ephethe lokho. Abahlinzeki besevisi ye-inthanethi ngeke bahlole noma babandlulule amawebhusayithi athile noma amasevisi. Le nselelo ibe yimpumelelo kakhulu kuma-telecom lobbies kangangokuthi iNdlu ingase ivume ngokushesha uMthetho Wokulondolozwa Kwenkululeko Ye-inthanethi.
Kodwa nakuba lesi sithombe siye saba ngcono, ikakhulukazi uma siqhathaniswa neminyaka embalwa edlule, izindaba azikabi zinhle ngokwanele. Isinqumo seSenethi sokungagunyazwa asizange sihlehlise ukushintshwa komthetho we-FCC wobunikazi obuhlukahlukene. Ivele yaqala ukuhlehla okusadinga ivoti leNdlu-futhi noma ingadlula iCongress, izobe isihlangabezana ne-veto kaGeorge W. Bush. Ngokunjalo, nakuba abezindaba zomphakathi kanye nomphakathi bengasindisiwe kumbulali, basabhekene noxhaso olujulile kanye nokubi okuncintisanayo okudinga ukuguqulwa kwesakhiwo, hhayi i-Band-Aids.
Inhlangano yokuguqula abezindaba kumele izilungiselele manje ukugqugquzela izinguquko eziningi zesakhiwo-ukukhuluma ngokushintsha imithombo yezindaba ibe ngcono kunokumane iyivimbele ekubeni ibe yimbi kakhulu. "Ukuguqulwa kwabezindaba" sekuphenduke ibinzana elichaza zonke izinjongo ezibanzi zenhlangano ethi ubunikazi obuhlanganisiwe bokusakaza nemidiya yezintambo, ubunikazi bochungechunge lwamaphephandaba, kanye nokwenza ikoloni kwe-inthanethi kwezinkampani zamakhebula kube usongo hhayi nje isiko leRiphabhulikhi kodwa kuntando yeningi uqobo. Inhlangano eyaba amandla okubalwe nawo phakathi neminyaka kaBush kwadingeka ilwe nezenzo zokuzivikela ngenhloso yokuvimbela ukuhlanganisa okwengeziwe, ukuhlanganisa abantu abaningi kanye nokukhwabanisa kolwazi ngabathile. Manje, nokho, kufanele sifune izinkampani ezithola inzuzo eshisiwe emsakazweni wabantu ukuze zihlangabezane nezindinganiso eziphakeme zokusebenzela umphakathi, zisuse imithetho enokugqwala kodwa esebenzayo yokungathembeki ukuze kuhlakazwe ama-TV nama-radio conglomerates, zibhekane nokuthengiswa okuphezulu kwamasiko ethu. futhi kusungulwe umkhakha wezindaba ongewona owezohwebo ohlukile futhi oziphendulelayo. Ngamafuphi, sidinga ukusungula imithetho nezakhiwo eziklanyelwe ukudala indawo yamasiko ezokhanyisela, inikeze amandla futhi inikeze izakhamuzi amandla ukuze zikwazi ukufeza isithembiso esigcwele sokuhlolwa kwaseMelika okuye, kusukela ekusungulweni kwayo, kuncike enkululekweni yabezindaba ukuze iphumule. igunya kubantu.
Naphezu kwazo zonke izambulo ezidalula ukuhlaselwa kukahulumeni emaphephandabeni amahhala, imithombo yezindaba eminingi kakhulu iyaqhubeka nokutshela abanamandla kwezombusazwe nakwezomnotho, "Ngiqambe amanga!" Eminyakeni emihlanu impi eyenzeka ngenxa yokwenqaba okuqhubekayo kwemithombo yezindaba enkulu ukwehlukanisa iqiniso ne-Bush Administration spin, sifunde kule ntwasahlobo ngomkhankaso wenkulumo-ze womshini we-Pentagon's PR wezigidigidi zamadola owatshala izinhlelo zokusakaza ezivumayo nezekhebula nojenene "ochwepheshe". owahumusha umugqa we-White House kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lapho ukukhwabanisa kwavezwa khona. Ngisho nangemva kwe- New York Times yaphula indaba, amanethiwekhi asakhetha ukumboza amahlazo awo kunokuba adalule impi eye yaba yimbi kakhulu kunalokho abantu abaningi baseMelika abazi.
Muva nje sibone ukushesha kokuwohloka kwezindinganiso zobuntatheli. Izintatheli ezingompetha ezifana noWalter Cronkite zishaqekile yi-mergermania eye yashanela imboni, yanciphisa izindinganiso, yadicilela phansi izindaba kanye nezigubhu zezindaba. Ukuhlanganiswa okusheshayo, okufakazelwa muva nje ukuhlukana kwamaphephandaba ayekade ehlonishwa i-Knight-Ridder, ukudayiswa kwe-Tribune Company kanye nemithombo yayo yezindaba kanye nokugwinywa kwephephandaba. Wall Street Journal ngabakwa-Murdoch's News Corp iyaqhubeka nokushintshwa okuqhubekayo kwamagugu omphakathi nawentando yeningi ngezinto eziza kuqala ezentengiselwano nezokuzijabulisa. Kodwa izintatheli ezinomthwalo wemfanelo zinokuncipha kokusho ngama-ajenda egumbi lezindaba kulezi zinsuku. Lezi zingcingo zenziwa ngabeluleki nababala ubhontshisi, abathembela kakhulu emithonjeni esemthethweni kanye nochwepheshe abakhulu abakhulumayo esikhundleni sokuqoqa izindaba noma inkulumo-mpikiswano.
Inkinga isabalele, futhi ayithinti nje izinqubomgomo zethu kuphela kodwa nepolitiki engase ithuthuke. Kunezindaba ezimbili ezibucayi lapho abezindaba zamahhala kumele bangabaze izitatimende ezisemthethweni, baphonse inselelo kwabanamandla nabaqinile ekufuneni iqiniso. Enye yazo yimpi-futhi endabeni yezimpi zangemva kuka-9/11, abezindaba bethu basehlulele kabuhlungu. (Ngisho nowayengunobhala wezindaba eWhite House uScott McClellan manje uyavuma ukuthi abezindaba "babengabanikezeli ababambe iqhaza" ngesikhathi kuqhubeka ingqungquthela.
Intando yeningi ekhona ayinakuphila, ingasaphathwa eyokuchuma, ngalezi zindinganiso zobuntatheli ezehlisiwe. Naphezu kokunqoba okuphawulekayo kwakamuva kwezishoshovu zasemazingeni aphansi, abezindaba bethu basahluleka uvivinyo olubucayi kakhulu lokushicilela mahhala. Lesi yisiphithiphithi esingeke sahlala isikhathi eside, futhi cishe umphumela wokhetho lukamongameli lwango-2008 uzohamba ibanga elide ekunqumeni ukuthi yiluphi uhlangothi, abanikazi bezinkampani noma umphakathi, ozoyinqoba impi yabezindaba. Izigxobo azikwazanga ukuba phezulu.
UMongameli olandelayo uzothatha izinqumo ezimbili ezibalulekile. Okokuqala kuzoba ukuthi uyawamukela yini umthetho wokuguqula abezindaba noma uwuphikise. Akungabazeki ukuthi iCongress ishintshe kakhulu ngenxa yengcindezi ethandwayo. Ama-lobbyists ezinkampani ayevame ukukhathazeka kuphela ngokulwela ucezu olukhulu lukaphayi bayazi ukuthi igeyimu ishintshile. Ukhetho lwango-2008 cishe luzokwandisa ukwesekwa kuzo zombili lezi zindlu kanye nakuzo zombili izinhlangothi mayelana nokuguqulwa kwabezindaba.
Okwesibili, uMongameli olandelayo uzoqoka usihlalo omusha we-FCC ozohola iningi lamalungu amahlanu ekhomishini. Lokhu ukukhetha okubalulekile. Iningi elilungile lizokwamukela izimiso nemibono yezinkulungwane zabagxeki bemithombo yezindaba, abakhiqizi bemithombo yezindaba abazimele kanye nezishoshovu zentando yeningi abazohlangana ngoJuni 6-8 ngo.
Ungabheki uMongameli uJohn McCain ukuthi anikeze ama-Copps isikhundla sikasihlalo. Kunomehluko osobala phakathi kukaMcCain no-Obama uma kukhulunywa ngabazokhethwa ngezindaba ezithinta abezindaba, nomehluko ocace nakakhulu kumarekhodi abo. Nakuba abavoti abaningi be-GOP, kanye nabanye abangamalungu e-Congress, besekela ukuguqulwa kwabezindaba, izindawo eziphezulu zeqembu ziyinkampani ephethwe ngokuphelele yezikhulu zezindaba. Phezulu, uMcCain angase abonakale engumuntu oyinkimbinkimbi onqamula uthango. Esikhathini esedlule esiya ngokuya sikhula, ngezikhathi ezithile wayekhipha umsindo eqaphela ukukhathazeka kwezakhamizi. Kodwa eminyakeni yamuva ubelokhu elwela amalungelo ezinkampani. Inkulumo kaMcCain yemakethe yamahhala mayelana nokuphathwa kwemithombo yezindaba edalwe nguhulumeni futhi exhaswa ngokungaqondile iqashelwa ngokwandayo ngokuthi iyini: inkulumo-ze yokuthuthukisa izinjongo zenqubomgomo yezinkampani ezinkulu.
Eminyakeni engaphezu kweshumi edlule uMcCain wavotela ngokumelene noMthetho Wezokuxhumana ka-1996, owanikeza ukukhanya okuluhlaza ekuhlanganisweni kwabezindaba. Uphinde wamelana kakhulu nemizamo yabasakazi bezohwebo yokuqeda ukusakazwa kwe-FM okungeyona eyebhizinisi enamandla aphansi ngo-2000. UProgressives ushayele ihlombe kuzo zombili lezi zigameko. Kepha njengosihlalo weKomidi Lezentengiselwano leSenate elibaluleke kakhulu, elibhekele ukuqaliswa koMthetho weTelecom,
Ngenkathi iningi lokunakwa kukaFebhuwari New York Times uphenyo ngobudlelwano bukaMcCain noVicki Iseman lugxile ekuqageleni mayelana nokuhilizisana kwezothando, kuncane kakhulu ukunaka okwakhokhwa ekwambulweni kokuthi ngo-1999 uMcCain, njengosihlalo weKomidi lezoHwebo, wacindezela i-FCC ukuthi ikhiphe ilayisense yesiteshi sikamabonakude esibucayi ku-Paxson Communications, u-Iseman ayenzela yona. ubefuna. Indlela kaMcCain yayinolaka futhi ingaphandle kwemingcele ngisho nebhizinisi elithokomele.
Okunye okungashiwongo yindima ebalulekile eyadlalwa uMcCain ekubumbeni i-FCC yenkathi kaBush. KwakunguMcCain owakhuthaza yena mathupha uMichael Powell ukuthi asebenze njengosihlalo we-FCC, futhi owavikela imizamo ka-Powell ngo-2003 yokubhala kabusha imithetho yobunikazi bemidiya ngokombhalo obhalwe ngabashisekeli bemboni. Ngenkathi amanye amaSenenja ephikisana nalezo zinguquko zemithetho ngemuva kokuthi abantu baseMelika abangaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili bezwakalise ukuphikisa kwabo, uMcCain wayefuna ukubalondoloza. Futhi usalokhu ehlangene no-Powell, ocabanga ngokungananazi umsebenzi kahulumeni ukukhuthaza izintshisekelo zezinkampani ezinkulu zokuxhumana. NgoMeyi u-Powell umele umkhankaso kaMcCain engxoxweni yesigungu engqungqutheleni yaminyaka yonke ye-National Cable & Telecommunications Association.
Mancane amathuba okuthi uMcCain aphinde aqoke uPowell ophoxekile njengosihlalo. Kodwa kunesiqiniseko esizwakalayo sokuthi uzoqoka umuntu ofana nokungezwa kukaPowell ekunxuseni okufunwa umphakathi. Ivoti lephalamende lango-2006 eliphikisana nokugcina ukungathathi hlangothi okuphelele liphakamisa ukuthi ukuzibophezela kwakhe ezinhlosweni zebhizinisi ze-AT&T kudlula noma yikuphi ukuzibophezela ezithakazelweni zomphakathi. Noma kunjalo, i-Soundbite yenkulumo eqondile, uMcCain uzoba namandla okusabela ezindabeni zabezindaba kuyo yonke indawo.
UBarack Obama uhlukile. Umkhankaso ka-Obama ukhiqize i-ajenda yezindaba ebanzi kakhulu, egxile ezithakazelweni zomphakathi eyake yathuthukiswa yilowo oqokelwe isikhundla sikamongameli. NjengoHillary Clinton, i
Nakuba uMongameli u-Obama cishe engase ahluke kuMongameli uMcCain ezindabeni zabezindaba, ubukhulu bomehluko lusavulekele ukuba kukhulunywe ngakho. Ngabe u-Obama empeleni angenza ama-Copps noma umuntu onjengaye usihlalo we-FCC? Ngabe u-Obama ubenganyakaza ngokushesha nangempumelelo ukuze aphule izintambo zama-lobbyists abezindaba? Lokho akuqiniseki neze. Yize izinqubomgomo zakhe ezishiwo zikhuthaza, amabutho ancintisanayo alwela ukuthonya umuntu ozongenela ukhetho. Imali yezimboni iya ku-Obama njengoba ilindele ukunqoba kwakhe. Ungumuntu ozibiza ngomholi weqembu, futhi emlandweni wakamuva weDemocratic Party, "i-centrism" ngokuvamile isho ukubeka izimfuno zezinzuzo zemali ngaphambi kwalezo zezakhamizi ezisezingeni eliphezulu. Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi abeluleki abaningi baka-Obama abancane bayimikhiqizo yenhlangano yokuguqula abezindaba noma bathonywe yikho. Izindaba ezimbi ukuthi abanye, njengosihlalo weFCC wenkathi kaClinton uKennard, banamarekhodi okuyekethisa embonini yezokuxhumana. Ngakho-ke nakuba i-Big Media izobe ibhejela uMcCain, ngeke bayiyeke kalula ku-Obama.
Lokho okunikezwa ukukhethwa kuka-Obama, ngakho-ke, kuyithuba lokuvula futhi-uma singalokotha sisebenzise igama elisetshenziswe ngokweqile kule sizini yomkhankaso-isilinganiso sethemba. Impendulo efanele kulokho kuvulwa akukona ukugujwa kodwa ukuqapha nokuzimisela. Izikhundla zika-Obama, nakuba ngezinye izikhathi zingacacile, ziyasivumela ukuthi sicabange ukuthola uxhaso olunyukile lokusakazwa komphakathi nomphakathi, ukwakhiwa kwe-broadband evumela bonke abantu baseMelika ukuthi bafeze isithembiso se-inthanethi, kanye nendlela entsha yokunikezwa kwamalayisensi nokulawulwa kwabantu. amagagasi omoya ahlonipha intshisekelo yomphakathi ngaphezu komgomo kaRupert Murdoch. Singalindela ukuthuthukiswa kwezinqubomgomo zobuciko ukuze sikhuthaze futhi sivikele ubuntatheli obuzimele obusebenzayo kanye nabezindaba basendaweni. UMongameli ofanele uzokwenza ukufeza zonke lezi zinhloso kube lula. ICongress efanele izokwenza umsebenzi ube lula namanje. Kepha ngaphezu kwakho konke, sizodinga umnyakazo ofanele wokuguqula abezindaba-onolaka ezimfuno zawo kungakhathalekile ukuthi ubani ohlezi e-White House, onolwazi ngendlela ebheke kumakomidi e-FCC kanye namakomidi e-Congressional, ahlangene futhi azimisele ukwakha imifelandawonye ebanzi, futhi egxile. hhayi nje ngokudlala ukuzivikela kodwa ekubumbeni imidiya edumile yekhulunyaka lamashumi amabili nanye.
URobert McChesney unguprofesa wocwaningo e-Institute of Communications Research and the
U-John Nichols, umbhali wamabhlogo wezepolitiki oyingqalabutho, ubhale i-The Beat kusukela ngo-1999. Okuthunyelwe kwakhe kusatshalaliswa emhlabeni wonke, kucashunwe ezincwadini eziningi futhi kukhulunywe ngazo ezingxoxweni zeCongress. UNichols ubhala ngepolitiki ephephabhukwini iThe Nation njengeliyiyo
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
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