in a news release critical of media reform efforts. They want to protect the corporate-owned media from efforts to de-politicize and de-propagandize the media.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46796ATR Launches Media Freedom Project, Web site; Grassroots Organization Will Advocate for Media Deregulation
5/4/2005 10:02:00 AM
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To: National Desk
Contact: Christopher Butler of Americans for Tax Reform, 202-785-0266
WASHINGTON, May 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Americans for Tax Reform recently launched the Media Freedom Project, an organization dedicated to deregulation of the media. The organization and its web site,
http://www.mediafreedomproject.org , stem from liberal efforts to re-regulate the media, including attempts to reinstate the so-called "Fairness Doctrine," an antiquated Federal Communications Commission rule that would have the effect of pulling the plug on conservative talk show personalities such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and G. Gordon Liddy.
In 2003, when the FCC modernized media ownership regulations, Democrats decried the effort, and called for reversing the ruling. Some, including liberal Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) went so far as to call for a reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. Since then other Democrats, including Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have also voiced their approval for reinstating the Doctrine, along with scores of liberal activists, blogs and Web sites.
ATR strongly supported the FCC's ruling, and generated over 50,000 e-mails and countless phone calls to Congress in favor of media deregulation. Unfortunately, legislation has once again been introduced to revive the Fairness Doctrine, sponsored by liberals including Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).
ATR created the Media Freedom Project to resist these efforts, as well as to call for other deregulation, including repealing the 107-year-old "Spanish-American War" tax -- a "temporary" tax on every telephone in America, imposed in 1898 to fund the Spanish-American War. The organization will also resist attempts to impose McCain-Feingold campaign finance restrictions on Internet political activity, including blogs and Web sites.
"ATR has always supported media deregulation, but as these issues heated up over the past few years, it became apparent that there was a vacuum," said taxpayer advocate Grover Norquist. "There was no single organization out there dedicated to consistent deregulatory policies for television, newspapers, the Internet, or any other means by which Americans share and distribute information. The Media Freedom Project is intended to fill that vacuum"
"ATR had amazing success in turning out grassroots support for deregulation in 2003 and 2004, and it was a good thing because no one else was really going to bat for deregulation," said Tom Readmond, who will serve as Executive Director of the Media Freedom Project. "The Democrats haven't been able to compete in the market, so they're going to continue trying to win through re-regulation. We're going to stop them."
The Media Freedom Project also launched a Web site,
http://www.mediafreedomproject.org , where visitors can keep up on the organization's activities and sign up to receive e-mail updates.
"We're excited about this new project," continued Norquist. "I think the time will come, sooner rather than later, when it will be desperately needed."
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Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Christopher Butler at 202-785-0266 or by email at cbutler@atr.org.
http://www.usnewswire.com/-0-
/© 2005 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
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