Telecommunications Act of 1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, a rewrite of the Communications Act of 1934, significantly altered federal communications policy.
Sections of the Act have been struck down by the Court as violating the First Amendment.
The act significantly reduced regulations on media concentration and cross-ownership of media outlets.
This deregulation led to less competition and allowed such companies as AOL/Time-Warner and Viacom to purchase multiple media outlets in local markets.
Screenshot:
Vice President Al Gore looks on as President Clinton uses an electronic pen to sign the Telecommunications Reform Act, Thursday Feb. 8, 1996 at the Library of Congress in Washington.
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1095/telecommunications-act-of-1996
Media Concentration
When the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Constitution (1787), and the Bill of Rights (1789) were written, the mass media did not exist.
Media concentration is the ownership of the mass media by fewer individuals.
Critics of this trend contend that media concentration threatens the marketplace of ideas and poses a threat to First Amendment freedoms.
Critics of centralization argue also that it facilitates censorship. Some point to Internet censorship in China as one example, noting in particular how Google has cooperated with the government there to block access to some Web sites.
An example of media concentration is the acquisition of the Wall Street Journal for $5 billion by the media empire, News Corp, owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Screenshots:
Media analyst and University of California professor Ben Bagdikian published The Media Monopoly in 1983 about the growing concentration of ownership of news organizations.
Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is pictured here in 2017. In arguing to relax ownership concentration rules, Pai said it would allow local news organizations the ability to compete with internet giants.
https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1127/media-concentration
Stop the Cap
In this occasional series, “Historical Truths,” we will take you back to important moments in telecom public and regulatory policy that would later prove to be essential for the creation of today’s anti-competitive, overpriced marketplace for broadband internet service.
By understanding the trickery and legislative shell games practiced by lobbyists and their elected partners in Congress, you will learn to recognize when the telecom industry and their friends are preparing to sell you another bill of goods.
Screenshot:
Unrelated clipart of FCC Logo from fcc.gov in 1997.
https://stopthecap.com/2018/07/19/historical-truths-the-telecom-act-of-1996-sowed-the-seeds-of-a-telecom-oligopoly/
Q Drop 1996
Screenshot: This 'pull the trigger' Q drop shows Punisher with filename "Pain.png" having Apple's iPhone dimensions of 1125 x 2436 (iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XI).
https://www.gsmscore.com/model-finder/screen-size/2436x1125-pixels/
10,000 Days
On JUN 26 2023 it will be 10,000 days since Bill Clinton electronically signed with a digital pen the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
https://www.timeanddate.com/date/durationresult.html?m1=2&d1=8&y1=1996&m2=6&d2=26&y2=2023