Mass Media Unleashed : How Washington Policymakers Shortchanged the American Public

Looks at the transformation of government policy since 1980 that has lead to changes in electronic media. The author argues that Washington policymakers must scrap the old regulatory system and write a new policy script designed to guarantee a broadcast service that is free, and dedicated to serving Americans as citizens, not just as consumers.

Everyone complains about mass media, but only the FCC and Congress are expressly empowered to do something about it, and that''s why America deserves better from its media policymakers. Mass Media Unleashed touches on the key issues stirring the current debate over mass media policy, such as consolidation, the steady dismantling of regulatory standards, the roles mass media must play (but increasingly fail to perform) in today''s helter-skelter world, and the vastly different ways these media are now delivered to and used by busy, on-the-go Americans. Carl Ramey, a long-time Washington communications lawyer, has observed the policymaking process up close and personal for thirty years. Warning that time is running out for taking actions that will make a real difference, Ramey shines a critical light on the massive transformation of government policy that has taken place since 1980 and has lead to vast changes in today''s electronic media: more consolidation, less public service, and everything ruled by the bottom line. Before the game is over, Washington policymakers must step to the plate and hit a home run for America—scrapping the old regulatory system and writing an entirely new policy script that, for the first time, is specifically designed to guarantee a broadcast service that is free, local, and dedicated to serving Americans as citizens, not just as consumers. This provocative read is a must for everyone concerned about mass media''s responsibilities and the policies that shape them.