Senators, FCC Seek to Promote Independent TV Programming

UPDATED. In the FCC's proceeding on "Localism," Creative Voices and a broad coalition of public interest groups asked the FCC to promote creativity, diversity, originality, and just plain better TV by changing its rules to help independent producers not affiliated with the broadcast networks -- like the people who made All in the Family, The Cosby Show, Murphy Brown, and The Rockford Files -- to once again make TV for primetime. Meanwhile, mega-kudos to Senators Dorgan, Leahy, and Kohl, who asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether media consolidation has reduced opportunities for independent producers and programmers.