Conservative Seattle-area radio talker John Carlson this week said the federal government should act to prevent further media-industry consolidation. Meanwhile, regardless of owner, the real need is for diversity of content.
Consolidation is a critical issue because snuffing out local voices could make Seattle more like British Columbia, where a single company controls most of print and broadcast media. In B.C., CanWest's ownership of both Vancouver daily newspapers has led to fawning coverage of the ruling party and a pro-business slant on issues such as the 2010 Olympics.
In Seattle, variety of coverage is what's missing. The Seattle Times sponsored preliminary FCC hearings last month where speakers of all political stripes spoke against allowing more consolidation. But how often have Seattle's daily papers reported virtually identical information on their pages, despite different ownership?
It's true that almost all Seattle broadcast outlets are owned by out-of-town chains, including some that have cut local investment. This year McClatchy took over several Washington newspapers, ownership of Seattle Weekly changed again and Victoria's Black Press bought the King County Journal. Against this backdrop, remaining local media need to stand up and show why they matter.