Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States Friday, April 21 st (2:10-3:10pm) 13 th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Deregulation Of The Telecommunications Industry And Its Effects On Message Diversity Brenna Holmes Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

The Deregulation of the U.S. Telecommunications Industries: How Increased Corporate Mergers & Vertical Integration has Affected Message Diversity & Democracy By Brenna Holmes

Outline How Message Diversity Affects Democracy How Message Diversity Affects Democracy Background Info: 1934 & 1996 Acts Background Info: 1934 & 1996 Acts Definitions of JargonDefinitions of Jargon The “Corporate Filter” Effect The “Corporate Filter” Effect The Future Trends The Future Trends

Diverse Messages lead to Diverse Ideas. Diverse Ideas lead to Healthy Debate. Healthy Debate leads to an Educated Public. An Educated Public leads to a more Democratic Society.

Corporate Mergers lead to fewer Owners. Fewer Owners lead to fewer Points of View. Fewer Points of View lead to Homogenous Thinking. Homogenous Thinking leads to Public Complacency. Public Complacency leads to a Loss of Public Power. Loss of Public Power leads to a Submission to the owners ideas

Background The U.S. defaults to trusting/wanting a PCM The U.S. defaults to trusting/wanting a PCM Telecom infrastructure creates a natural monopoly & bottlenecks in distributionTelecom infrastructure creates a natural monopoly & bottlenecks in distribution 1996 Telecommunications Act 1996 Telecommunications Act Massively deregulated television and radio industries, allowed cross-industry mergers, increased audience viewership control and vertical integrationMassively deregulated television and radio industries, allowed cross-industry mergers, increased audience viewership control and vertical integration

Vertical Integration & Synergistic Mergers Cross-Industry & Synergistic Mergers Cross-Industry & Synergistic Mergers Allows media companies to own or control multiple methods of message distribution & to cross promote.Allows media companies to own or control multiple methods of message distribution & to cross promote. TV stations own radio stations, own cable networks, own wireless phone services, own ISPs, own newspapers, magazines, and book publishers, etc. TV stations own radio stations, own cable networks, own wireless phone services, own ISPs, own newspapers, magazines, and book publishers, etc. Vertical Integration Vertical Integration Allows production, distribution & sales to be owned & controlled by one company.Allows production, distribution & sales to be owned & controlled by one company. Universal Pictures & Universal Theaters Universal Pictures & Universal Theaters

The “Corporate Filter” Effect The majority of what we see, hear, & read is biased to promote or at least not offend the parent company’s views and interests. The majority of what we see, hear, & read is biased to promote or at least not offend the parent company’s views and interests.

The Future Digital broadcasts (DTV). Mandated switch by A little known gift from Congress to the broadcast stations in the ‘96 Act. Digital broadcasts (DTV). Mandated switch by A little known gift from Congress to the broadcast stations in the ‘96 Act. Broadcasters promise multicasting, but w/out public scrutiny, it may not happen.Broadcasters promise multicasting, but w/out public scrutiny, it may not happen. GE may sell NBC, if allowed who buys it? GE may sell NBC, if allowed who buys it? Could be Time Warner (1 st broadcast station), Disney (2 nd : ABC), News Corp. (2 nd : Fox), or Viacom (2 nd : CBS).Could be Time Warner (1 st broadcast station), Disney (2 nd : ABC), News Corp. (2 nd : Fox), or Viacom (2 nd : CBS).

Sources The Project for Excellence in Journalism The Project for Excellence in Journalism Columbia Journalism Review Columbia Journalism Review Global Issues: Corporate Influence in the Media Global Issues: Corporate Influence in the Media I Want Media: News & Resources I Want Media: News & Resources Thank You

Congressional Ethics Commission: Yes or No? Daniel Kelley Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Congressional Ethics Commissions: Yes or No? n Daniel Kelley

Should Congress appoint an Ethics Commission? n What is an Ethics Commission? n What is the purpose of a commission? n What would be its strengths and weaknesses? n Should Congress appoint one?

Ethics Committees n Senate Select Committee on Ethics (6 Senators). n House of Rep. Committee on Standards and Official Conduct (14 Representatives). n Part of the Congress and members have other duties as Congressmen and woman. n Critics complain that they are inactive and ineffective. n Conflict in judging people you rely on to do your job.

Ethics Commission n Senate Bill S.2259, Office of Public Integrity, as offered by Illinois Senator Barak O’Bama. n Independent Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission. n Composed of 9 members chosen in bi-partisan way (1 former judge & 1 former member of Congress). n Modeled after Commissions that serve in Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee. n Currently there are Ethics Commissions serving in 39 state legislatures.

Purpose of Proposed Commission n Act Independent of but serve both Senate and House of Representatives. n Investigate lobbying disclosures. n Investigate lawmakers and staff who violate restrictions on interactions with lobbyists. n Conduct research concerning government ethics and initiate education programs. n Initiate investigations regarding ethics violations and refer them to Senate ethics committees. n Issue advisory opinions to help inform ethics in decision making. n File annual reports with Congress that disclose all activities.

Possible Strengths of Having a Commission n Singleness of purpose-- not distracted by duties other than ethics related charter. n Promotes ethics internally through education and advisory opinions. n Promotes externally through powers to investigate. n Supposedly independent. n Many state commissions promote transparency in GOV. with annual reports and advisory opinions that are published online (Florida, Texas, Tennessee).

Discernable weakness n Congress must retain its power to discipline its own members. n Constitution requires that senate “determine the rule of its proceeding, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with concurrence of two- thirds vote, expel its members [Sect. 5 article 2]. n State commissions have survived constitutional challenges because ethics committees were still in tact. n Congress must appoint the commission, establish its purpose, and will control its finances. n Any commission will be vulnerable to retaliation by those it is compelled to judge.

History in State Legislatures shows retaliation to be the rule n Kentucky Ethics Commission initiated 18 investigations in first year and its powers to investigate were rescinded by the Kentucky Legislature n Similar situations occurred in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Hawaii n Texas Ethics Commission was not funded for 4 years n Legislators who get investigated have posted bills to have commissions abolished. n Beth A Rosenson in her book, Shadowlands of Conduct, researched 26 state ethics commissions and found that all but two commissions lost power over time

Recommendations n Don’t authorize an Ethics Enforcement Commission at this time but don’t abandon the idea. n Explore ways to increase independence first (I.E. would a constitutional amendment be required). n Establish best way to utilize commission strengths like ethics education, advisory opinions, and central accessible storage of ethics information and disclosure reports. n Don’t authorize a commission that is compelled to bite the hand that feeds it. n Any commission will need continuous public support.

Political-Bureaucratic Communications And US Social Security Reform Matt Guardino Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation

Panel 16: Administrative Reform In The United States Friday, April 21 st (2:10-3:10pm) Brenna Holmes Deregulation Of The Telecommunications Industry And Its Effects On Message Diversity Daniel Kelley Congressional Ethics Commission: Yes or No? Matt Guardino Political-Bureaucratic Communications and US Social Security Reform 13th Symposium on Development and Social Transformation