Troubled Waters; Stop the Big Media Takeover

[angela bischoff]

THE PASSIONATE EYE Monday
(Monday July 16 at 10pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld)

STRANGE DAYS ON PLANET EARTH: TROUBLED WATERS
In the heartland of North America, there have been strange disappearances.
Frogs are vanishing without a trace. Farther north, in the green waters of
Canada's St. Lawrence River, beluga whales are mysteriously dying-their
white corpses found washed up on the stony shores.

Hosted by award-winning actor Edward Norton (Primal Fear, American History
X, The Italian Job), Strange Days on Planet Earth: Troubled Waters
examines this escalating catastrophe and also investigates if some of
these poisons are reaching our faucets.

http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyemonday/feature_150107.html

------------------------------------------------------

Canadian Friends,

The CRTC announced a few months ago that in light of the current
wave of consolidation in the Canadian broadcasting industry, they will
be holding a public hearing to review the government's approach to
ownership consolidation.

Before that public hearing happens, the CRTC is first asking for
submissions from the Canadian public - you, me, it doesn't matter who -
about what you think of media consolidation. Deadline is July 18.

The Council of Canadians, Democracy Watch and other groups are
facilitating public input on this issue and have made it really, really
simple to support a diversity of voices. Just go to this web page to fill
out
a simple webform and your comments will be submitted:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/CRTC_diversity

-angela
---------

STOP THE BIG MEDIA TAKEOVER!
http://democraticmedia.ca/act

	Media diversity is a cornerstone of democracy. But media ownership is
more highly concentrated in Canada than almost anywhere else in the
industrialized world.
	Almost all private Canadian television stations are owned by national
media conglomerates and, because of increasing cross-ownership, most of
the daily newspapers we read are owned by the same corporations that own
television and radio stations.
	This means a handful of Big Media Corporations control what Canadians can
most readily see, hear and read through the mainstream media.  It means
less local and regional content, more direct control over content by
owners and less analysis of the events that shape our lives.  It also
means less media choice for Canadians and fewer jobs for Canadian media
workers.
	We must also be wary of the impacts mergers have on the diversity and
neutrality of new on-line media. We need to reverse this trend before big
media gets even bigger!
	Tell the CRTC what you think: http://democraticmedia.ca/act

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
	Rules that truly curb media concentration in Canada are long overdue. 
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) -
the government commission that regulates broadcast and telecommunications
systems - is holding a hearing in Gatineau, Quebec (just across the river
from Ottawa) this coming September on how to ensure a diversity of voices
in our media.
	The deadline for submissions is July 18, 2007.  These hearings could in
the long run lead to a more concentrated media and a relaxation of the
foreign ownership rules leaving our media susceptible to take-over by
even bigger U.S. Media Corporations.  The airwaves belong to the public,
and the CRTC needs to hear from you.
	Click here
http://democraticmedia.ca/act
	to let the CRTC know that media diversity matters to you.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD
	Unless citizens speak out, the debate will continue to be dominated by large
media corporations. Please forward this message to encourage others to
participate in this crucial campaign. Tell your family and friends about
this important campaign.
	Don't forget to tell the CRTC to STOP THE BIG MEDIA TAKEOVER!:
http://democraticmedia.ca/act

	NOTE: If you are not a Canadian citizen or resident, please do not send a
message to the CRTC -- but please still visit http://democraticmedia.ca
to find out about how you can support media diversity in Canada.

********************************

INFORMATION ABOUT DEMOCRACY WATCH
	For more information about Democracy Watch's 8 leading campaigns for
democratic reform, government accountability, and corporate
responsibility in Canada, or to contact Democracy Watch, please view the
Democracy Watch website at:
http://www.dwatch.ca





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