Media Act Of 1996 Essay

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Media is subjectively one of the most powerful assets in the world today. Media platforms such as television, newspaper, radio and the Internet are all means of communication that are used in everyday life to transfer data between persons. For media to perform effectively it must be democratic and unbiased, in order to provide the consumer with accurate and accountable information. By doing so the media has fulfilled its job of protecting the interests of the public. On January 3rd, 1996 during the 104th Congress; President Bill Clinton approved the Telecommunications Act of 1996 with the primary goal of removing regulatory barriers to entry in order to open up the markets to competition. This paper will evaluate the effect that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 had on the industry as well as the advancement of media cross ownership whilst also using the insights of Jeremy Rifkin and …show more content…
The goal was not for deregulation to create an oligopoly in the media industry but rather the intent was to create a diverse industry of competition that anyone could participate in if they wanted to. Drale suggests that in order for policy regarding telecommunications to work in favor for the common good of society it must be a result of several different competing values to be wrapped up together in the notion of a good society. Deliberation requires the participation of not just the policy makers but also the public and in order to create a system that works, all arguments must be addressed. Considering the Telecommunications Act of 1996 Drale credits it as a failure in most aspects. She accepts the fact that deregulation led to the production of a frenzy of mergers in which produced media conglomerates but she also states that it has brought about the development of alternative media and a public sphere that can be found and scene on the

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