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Big Government vs. Corporate Media.

That has been what’s been volleyed about regarding this past weekend’s Media Reform Conference in Memphis. I enjoyed it. Others around the blogosphere did not.

Both sides are valid.

Here is one perspective of the conference that differs from mine but the topic is quite worthy of debate. I was quite exhilarated by the experience. Others not so much.

I can’t speak about Mayor Willie Herenton but I do think Wright makes some good points about the Mayor and even links to a democrat that cites some alarm that the long-term mayor was involved with the opening ceremonies. I’ll be honest, I don’t know that much about Herenton so I’ll not comment on that aspect and leave that to others.

But I found that Bill Moyers speech did make some valid points about corporate media. Do judge for yourself, go here and read his speech and take from it what you wish. But I pull this quote to say that this is not just a “leftie” thing although, granted, it does quote one of us “lefties”.

Just this week Senator Byron Dorgan, a Democrat, and Senator Olympia Snow, a Republican, introduced the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2007 to require fair and equitable access to all content.

But that’s not all.  Moyers said this earlier in his speech:

But then you did it again more recently. You lit a fire under the people to put Washington on notice that it had to guarantee the Internet’s First Amendment protection in the $85 billion merger of AT&T and BellSouth. Because of you, the so-called Internet neutrality, I much prefer to call it the “equal-access provision of the Internet” — neutrality makes me think of Switzerland — the equal-access provision became a public issue that once again reminded the powers-that-be that people want the media to foster democracy not to quench it. This is crucial. This is crucial, because in a few years, virtually all media will be delivered by high-speed broadband. And without equality of access, the net can become just like cable television where the provider decides what you see and what you pay. After all, the Bush Department of Justice had blessed the deal last October without a single condition or statement of concern. But they hadn’t reckoned with Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, and they hadn’t reckoned with this movement. Free Press and SaveTheInternet.com orchestrated 800 organizations, a million and a half petitions, countless local events, legions of homemade videos, smart collaboration with allies and industry, and a top shelf communications campaign. Who would have imagined that sitting together in the same democratic broadband pew would be the Christian Coalition, Gun Owners of America, Common Cause, and MoveOn.org? Who would have imagined that these would link arms with some of the powerful new media companies to fight for the Internet’s First Amendment?

I encourage you either watch or read this speech.

So, to me, it’s not about the left trying to take over. It’s not about the right trying to take over? It’s about rights for everyone. Now I just quoted from Moyers speech here, and I’m not denying that this was a liberal conference, because it was. But it was more than that. And now that I’ve had time to think about all of this, I want to encourage everyone just to check it out for themselves. Utilize your right for information (on your free access to internet) to check some of the aspects of Media Reform. Then, if you think its bollocks, so be it.

Everyone having a voice is what I got from the conference.  I’ve always thought that it didn’t matter if you were right or left, you have the constitutional right for information. And that right for information should not be dictated by money. That’s my take. And for those in Nashville, here is an editorial written by Ginny Welsch explaining who owns what in your neck of the woods. Liberadio also had several updates on the conference which were much more timely than mine. And here is a site that break downs who owns what nationally. And here is another story by the AFL-CIO  that discusses the meetings in Nashville last December. These are supporters of Media Reform. I encourage your own search engine to find examples of dissent against Media Reform.

I do encourage you read accounts from the right and the left on this issue, because it’s a dialogue.

And dialogue is good.

It would have been more intriguing to have had a more nonpartisan conversation on this in Memphis, that’s why I’m linking to Mick Wright on this. I think you need to read his perspective as well.

As I said, I was exhilirated by the conference and the dialogue. Others were not. If you want to know more, check about both sides and come up with your own conclusion. That’s the beauty of free speech and the internet. Everyone has a voice.