Led by FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who veers from his father’s support of affirmative action, the commission voted June 2 to lift federal restrictions that had provided some protection against a company essentially determining what the public will see, hear and read in a certain market.

In an editorial prior to the vote, the Bergen County (N.J.) Record observed, "The strength of a democracy lies in the diversity of its voices, in the lively exchange of informed views battling out in the open marketplace of ideas. That’s where our liberties are tested, refined and reinvigorated for each generation. But now, with a ruling that will give a few powerful conglomerates greater control of the media, the Federal Communications Commission is preparing to deliver a severe blow to this type of public discourse."

In a 3-2 vote along party lines, the FCC declared that a single company can now own TV stations that reach up to 45 percent of U.S. households, a 10 percent increase. It also ended a ban on joint ownership of a broadcast outlet and a newspaper in cities that have nine or more TV stations.

With this rule change, it’s not inconceivable that as few as three or four media giants could penetrate nearly 100 percent of American homes. Would you trust such a small group, even if they’ve had a good record in the past, to exercise that much control over what’s carried over what we thought were public airwaves?

The chairmen of Congress’ Tri-Caucus, representing Blacks, Hispanics and Asian Pacific Americans, issued a statement after the vote, calling it "a blow to diversity, competition, and the public having access to multiple sources of information."

The three groups are headed by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) and David Wu (D-Oregon).

"Major findings of a 1999 study by Santa Clara University and University of Missouri indicate that there is a positive correlation between minority ownership and diverse content in the media," the three said in a joint statement.

They also cited a Department of Commerce study that showed that people of color own only four percent of the nation’s 10,577 commercial AM and FM radio stations, or 248 AM stations and 178 FM facilities. According to that same report, between 1998 and 2000, there was a loss of five Hispanic and four Black-owned stations; and a gain of two Asian-owned stations. One firm, Clear Channel Radio, based in Texas, owns 1,250 radio stations—almost three times more than the number owned by Blacks and Hispanics combined.

Commercial television was even worse.

People of color owned only 23 full-power commercial television stations at the close of the last decade. That’s only 1.9 percent of the country’s 1,288 licensed stations.

Make no mistake about it, conglomerates owned by ardent conservatives have a political agenda. Clear Channel, for example, is a strong supporter of George Bush. And when the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks said she was ashamed to be from the same state as Bush, the group’s airtime dropped to almost zero.

Rupert Murdoch, a major Republican donor, pushes his conservative views through his Fox News Channel. Its motto is, "We report, you decide." It should be, "We report and we decide." All those campaign donations seem to be paying off. Murdoch is about to gain controlling interest in DirectTV, the digital satellite service. As Washington Post columnist Tom Shales notes, "Although it would be economically unwise, Murdoch could conceivably drop CNN, chief competitor to Murdoch’s Fox News Channel, from the DirectTV bill of fare."

The sale of Black Entertainment Television (BET) to Viacom was a clear illustration of what can happen when ownership changes hands. Last year, BET decided to eliminate most of the public affairs programs that had kept it from being a Black clone of MTV—"BET Tonight with Ed Gordon," "Lead Story" and "Teen Summit."

Viacom is not the only major media conglomerate interested in buying Black media properties.

AOL Time Warner owns 49 percent of Essence magazine and all of the web site, Africana.com. The Chicago Tribune has the majority interest in Blackvoices.com. As has been the case with the hair care industry and Black funeral homes, we can expect to see further efforts by major corporations to partner with or outright buy Black newspapers and radio stations. The reason is simple: That’s where the U.S. population is growing.

Too bad we aren’t rapidly growing as owners.