The Federal Trade Commission is the latest government agency to dive into the stormy media waters.
This fall it will begin holdings a series of workshops titled “Can the News Media Survive the Internet Age? Competition, Consumer Protection and First Amendment Perspectives.”
The FTC says it will look at not only the newspaper industry but the broadcast industry as well. ”How cable, broadcast, and other news organizations will respond to similar challenges is under discussion,” the FTC’s announcement reads. ”Some predict that in a few years, television and radio will find themselves in situations similar to those facing newspapers.”
Some, I’m afraid, already are .
It’s not clear to me what the FTC will be able to contribute. Panel discussions on the miserable state of the media are a dime a dozen these days, and rarely generate new ideas.
What is needed at this point are less opinions and more concrete actions to make sure that serious journalism survives and endures.
LOUIS FREEDBERG
