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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  Contact:  Alex  Johns  September  24,  2002  (202)  418-  2000 
 FCC  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS  CALLS  FOR  NATIONAL  DISCUSSION  OF  ETHICS  IN  GOVERNMENT  AND 
 CONSOLIDATION  IN  THE  MEDIA;  SEEKS  FURTHER  ACTION  ON  THE  PUBLIC  INTEREST  OBLIGATIONS  OF  DIGITAL  TELEVISION  BROADCASTERS 


 Delivering  the  20  th  Annual  Everett  C.  Parker  Ethics  in  Communications  Lecture,  Commissioner  Copps  cited  the  need  for  “’some  public  discussion  of  what  is  appropriate.  ’  Not 
 just  what  is  legal…  although  that  is  always  critical,  but  what  is  right  and  in  the  interest  of  our  people  and  our  country.” 


 In  his  speech,  Copps  called  upon  the  Commission  to  resurrect  its  review  of  the  public  interest  obligations  of  digital  television  broadcasters.  These  “pending  proceedings  should  be 
 reactivated  and  made  priority  proceedings  and  brought  to  conclusion.  They  are  entitled  to  every  bit  as  much  attention  as  that  being  devoted  to  digital  tuner  and  set-  top  boxes.”  Copps  further 
 urged  the  Commission  “to  determine  what  additional  proceedings  on  DTV’s  public  interest  obligations  might  be  appropriate.” 


 Copps  also  challenged  the  media  to  participate  in  the  Commission’s  review  of  ownership  in  their  industries,  “not  just  on  the  overall  economic  effects  of  consolidation  in  the  media,  but 
 also  on  its  social,  cultural,  political  and  diversity  effects,  too.”  Copps  acknowledged  that  it  “won’t  be  easy”  to  get  the  media  involved  in  this  debate.  “Some  very  important  media 
 enterprises  have  financial  interests  riding  on  the  outcome  of  the  ownership  proceedings.  The  very  institutions  we  rely  on  as  a  forum  for  this  debate  are  the  very  institutions  most  affected  by 
 its  outcome.”  Copps  noted  “this  is  an  excellent  opportunity  for  the  media  to  demonstrate  the  independence  of  their  newsrooms  from  their  corporate  interests.” 


 The  lecture,  sponsored  by  the  United  Church  of  Christ  and  the  Telecommunications  Research  and  Action  Center,  honors  Dr.  Everett  C.  Parker,  a  pioneering  advocate  for  the  public’s 
 rights  in  the  broadcast  arena. 


 –  FCC- 
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