why media consolidation is NOT a good thing

[Donna Halper]

>Garrett wrote=--=
>Years ago, parochial small-time operators (under the old rules
>of ``eight of a kind'') pre-empted more programming, more regularly,
>than any of the big groups do today.

Yes, but thanks to consolidation, there are fewer choices.  Joe or Jane 
local owner may have banned something, but you could always find it 
elsewhere.  These days, with station owners controlling entire markets, it 
is hard to get to see a controversial show.  And why should reading the 
names of those who died in Iraq be worthy of a ban anyway?