[Davis Democrats] Tell the FCC: Stop Merger Mania

[John Chendo]

The largest phone and cable companies are fighting to shut down a free and
open Internet. They keep raising prices while making empty promises about
serving all Americans. They've even illegally handed over the personal
information of millions of Americans to government eavesdroppers. Now they
want the government to help them get even bigger. AT is trying to buy
BellSouth, which would make it the largest telecom company in the world.
Comcast and Time Warner -- the country's two largest cable and Internet
companies -- are trying to wrap up their purchase of Adelphia, the nation's
fifth-largest cable company. Tell the FCC right now to stop these
mega-mergers <http://www.freepress.net/fcc/comment.php?dn=mergers>
The FCC is in the final stages of deciding whether these large corporations
should be allowed to merge. If these deals go through, Comcast, Time Warner,
and AT will control over half of all the high-speed Internet connections in
the United States. AT would dwarf its nearest competitor. If it successfully
merges with BellSouth, the number of "Baby Bells" would morph from the
original seven into three massive companies. Together with Verizon, AT will
control two-thirds of all local phone connections. Time Warner and Comcast
want to not only grow bigger, but swap entire cable systems across the
country in a practice called "clustering." If successful, this will increase
their control over national and regional programming, making it even harder
for independent content to reach Americans. They will also become the
dominant broadband providers in their regions, giving them control over how
tens of millions of Americans use the Internet. The FCC can only approve a
merger if it serves the public interest. That means more than just
protecting competition. It means protecting the public's right to hear
controversial views, see independent programming and create their own media.
Speak out and add your voice to the FCC's public record. It only takes a
minute. Tell the FCC to stop merger mania
<http://www.freepress.net/fcc/comment.php?dn=mergers>
Your actions make a difference. Thanks for all you do, Russell Newman
Research Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net <http://www.freepress.net>
P.S. Live near Boston, Chicago, New York or San Francisco? Join legions of
local activists on Wednesday for the National Day of Out(R)age
<http://www.saveaccess.org/> !

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