Milwaukee Professionals Association

PRESENTATION GIVEN AT SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 FCC HEARING IN MILWAUKEE

by Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Campaign Neighborhood - CFNBA

Good Evening!

It is an honor to be part of history making tonight.

On behalf of residential, commercial, light industrial and institutional stakeholder of Milwaukee’s Inner City, we welcome Commissioner Adelstein, Commissioner Copps, the administration and staff of Free Press (especially Amanda Ballantyne) and UW-M for this needed Town forum on Media Reform.

Campaign Neighborhood – CFNBA, the organization that I represent works exclusively for the overall empowerment of People of Color and the Working Poor. Our target area is a 4-mile by 3-mile radius in Milwaukee that has 250,000 people, predominately African American and a high population of children.

Milwaukee is a majority People of Color Midwest City with a population of almost 600,000 people. It has a face of poverty that is African American 41%, Latinos 38%, Children 41% and Caucasians 12%, available data. In some census tracts, African Americans have an unemployment rate of 65%.

And to that end, my comments are focused to provide input that will lead to the betterment of these Milwaukeeans.

I VOTE NO on NEW media ownership rules until we improve the ownership of People of Color and existing companies, especially conglomerates, show proof of ongoing inclusion.

We feel that the rule that would allow already well-established and large ownerships to expand is harmful and a crime. This includes increasing the number of newspapers, radio stations and tv stations that one company is allowed to own. In the Milwaukee area two examples are: Journal Communications, who has cross-ownership (paper – Journal Sentinel, Channel 4 and WTMJ radio for starters; and, Clear Channel (outdoor advertisement, radio, international radio, and television).

We are most concerned about the status quo in Milwaukee that excludes it “majority population”. The major papers – Journal Sentinel, Business Journal, Small Business Times, Daily Reporter, Shephard Express, outdoor advertisement, radio and television stations, have a glaring sign of “exclusion” of People of Color and the Working Poor in media. This includes top-down human resources, partnerships, internships, talk shows, procurement, telecommunication and advertisement.

We feel to expand at this time is to encourage “greed’ and continued exclusion”.
Instead, we recommend that the FCC concentrate on ways we can make the public air waves more inclusive in ownerships by People of Color – the lowest entrepreneurs in the broadcast industry; ownerships that includes top down hiring of People of Color and Working Poor – to increase opportunities in media, ownerships that foster high standards and a Code of Conduct that leads to best practices for sharing information and doing business with/for the well-being of the community they are in.
We also recommend that the FCC keep a close eye on the Wireless craze that is falling out all over the country. It too can be an asset but it too needs best practices and standards for inclusion of People of Color and the Working Poor.
We at Campaign Neighborhood – CFNBA are working on a 5-Year Signature Plan that runs through 2010. It seeks “linkage” of Milwaukeeans. It has a heavy focus on telecommunication and seeks to build four (4) one-stop business, information technology, and resource centers in the Inner City.
In April, 2006, we kicked-off the Linking Wireless to the Inner City Initiative. This initiative is designed to parallel the creation of the Wireless Network being purposed by the City of Milwaukee. We are excited about the opportunity but we know because of the history of “exclusion” by planners of the City of Milwaukee, our elected officials and lead business organizations, we are calling for “from the jump inclusion”, for specifics of Midwest Fiber Networks LLC, the Agreement between the City of Milwaukee and Midwest Fiber.
We are calling for accountability of Mayor Tom Barrett, our 15-member Common Council and the people of the City of Milwaukee, especially Milwaukee’s Inner City. We have a special role for assisting with the “outreach campaign” for introduction and training the citizenry. Why?
It is one thing to put an antenna on poles all over the City of Milwaukee and say the City of Milwaukee is 100% WIRELESS. The truth is, until it is ACCESSIBLE through use 24/7/365 to all Milwaukeeans, that is a misleading statement.
First of all, to access the network being installed by Midwest Fiber, you must have a connector – pc, personal digital assistant or a laptop – all cost money.
Secondly, you must make a regular monthly payment (proposed $20.00).
Thirdly, you must be familiar with use of a computer, informed about the internet, informed about options and competitive buying. The internet providers as with the media conglomerates are about making money. People of Color and the Working Poor have a shortage of money.

This is a mega opportunity to link with a zillion opportunities afforded through the Internet for residential, commercial, light industrial and institutional (church/school/ social organizations) stakeholders in the Inner City.
It can jumpstart and close gaps that impede quality of life and economic opportunities presently in Inner City Milwaukee – new careers, employment, business development, options.
With the proper planning and inclusion, it could go a long way in repairing the “Media Divide”. We are exploring a number of possibilities that include talk show formats, employment, internships, business-2-business partnerships; i.e, Clear Channel and Journal Communication working with businesses in the Inner City.
We especially see how existing People of Color media (newspaper, radio) in Milwaukee can be enhanced through partnerships with Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College, colleges, universities, Inner City businesses and other media outlets.
As a result of this forum, Campaign Neighborhood – CFNBA has added, “YOUR VOICE IS WORTH fighting for Media and Telecommunication Initiative”.

We will be working with broadcast, printing and telecommunication media; interested organizations; and Free Press to host future workshops and forums to improve the present “public interest” in Media in Milwaukee County.

We look forward with pride to providing regular reports on our progress in public interest to you Commissioner Copps, Commissioner Adelstein and the other 3 Commissioners of the FCC. Thank you for coming.

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Mary Glass was 1 of 4 panelists for the 2nd Panel. The other three panelists were:
>>Diane Farsetta - Senior Researcher at the Center for Media and Democracy, Madison, WI
>>David Allen - An Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
>>Lindy Anderson - Video Producer, PEG cable channel, Madison, WI

Moderator: Justice Janine Geske(ret.)

TOWN MEETING on the Future of Media.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Thursday, September 7, 2006
6:30pm

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Presented by
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Helen Bader Concert Hall
Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts
2419 East Kenwood Blvd.

ISSUE AREAS

Journalism
Media Ownership
Radio

Internet and Broadband
Media Consolidation
Policy: at the FCC
Television and Cable

Presented by Free Press in partnership with:
>>The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of the University of
Wisconsin, Milwaukee
>>The Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University
>>AFSCME Council 48
>>Campaign Neighborhood - CFNBA
>>Citizen Action of Wisconsin
>>The Center for Media and Democracy >>Common Cause in Wisconsin
>>Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee >>The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
>>MATA Community Media
>>Milwaukee LGBT Community Center
>>The Midwest States Center
>>NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin
>>Peace Action of Wisconsin
>>Sierra Club Great Waters Group
>>Voces de la Frontera
>>Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
>>Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.

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