WORST JOB GROWTH IN TWO YEARS CALLED 'SLUGGISH'

FCC Chairman Powell unveils new logo

Press Plays Ball

Washington, WPI - Still fighting to garner favor with the FCC and overturn media ownership limits, newspapers around the country rallied to minimize the bad economic news about jobs released by the Labor Department on Friday.

The Associated Press, which writes a single story which is reprinted- word for word- by 99% of the nation’s newspapers, showed no alarm at the stunningly bad data. It downplayed the terrible statistics couching the facts in the distinctive passive/aggressive style the AP is noted for.

“WASHINGTON (AP) -- Job growth slowed nearly to a crawl in May, with new hiring registering the smallest gain in almost two years. [Bad News] The unemployment rate dipped to a low 5.1 percent, however. [Good News] The latest employment snapshot, released by the Labor Department on Friday, kept up the recent pattern of choppy job creation. [Downplay and Distract] Employers boosted payrolls by just 78,000 after a hiring spurt of 274,000 in April. [Good Spin on bad data, then old, but Positive News]”

The Gannett owned Rochester NY Democrat & Chronicle headlined the AP reprint, “Job Growth Sluggish.”

“Our editors have been working very hard during this administration to find balance in our reporting” said Gannett publisher Brent Deverity, “The public deserves the news but there is no good to be had from frightening them. We’re here to sell papers after all!” he added disarmingly.

Addressing the issue of media ownership rules still being negotiated by the FCC, Deverity minimized the conflict, “Naturally we would like to see all government regulation which impedes the free market removed. The Gannett Corporation believes in free enterprise. Don’t you?” he asked, turning the tables on the questioner.

In fact the Gannett Company stands to benefit mightily if the regulations are relaxed. The rules limit the number of radio/TV stations a newspaper publisher may own in a given market. Gannett publishes 102 daily newspapers in the United States, including USA Today, the largest-circulation daily in the US, and numerous radio and television stations.

Consumer groups oppose any FCC's plan to relax the rules, since it would increase the concentration of media ownership, giving a handful of large companies enormous power over print media and the airwaves, crushing competition and permitting only a single pro-corporate voice in most communities.

Presently, Gannett publishes local newspapers only in markets with no competition. Douglas McCorkindale, chief executive of Gannett Co., said, “We’re fair, we give people all the news they need. Look at USA Today, who could accuse us of failing in our responsibility to deliver news to the public?” He questioned.

“We have to answer to our investors as well. It certainly is not in their interests to act in ways which thwart our company’s growth. Criticizing the Bush administration doesn’t help that at a time when the F-E-D-E-R-A-L Communications Commission is offering us free rein.” He added.

Gannett, which is based in McLean, Va., earned $265.7 or $1.05 a share, versus $274.4 million or $1 per share a year ago. Gannett's revenues rose 3.6 percent to $1.79 billion. Newspaper advertising revenues rose 5.3 percent to $1.22 billion, but broadcasting revenues fell 2.9 percent to $164.6 million.

Art Tacill, president of the Allied Consumers Association, said, “Look at how Gannett covered the phoney reasons for invading Iraq. More responsible news agencies apologized for giving the Administration a free pass, but not Gannett. It’s pretty clear that they are offering a quid pro quo- we happy-spin your bad news, you give us regional monopolies.”

“Consolidation of the media will only improve our efficiencies in selling advertising and reporting the news. I want all our readers and investors to know that as we become more market-dominant news coverage in USA Today can only get better. 'Hegemony makes homogeny' we like to say!" assured Deverity.