February « 2003 « Can’t Stop Won’t Stop

Saturday, February 15th, 2003

Too much news these days for a regular blogger let alone one who is semi-reclusive trying to finish a book. But hey…

So early reports from the anti-war protest in London put the numbers at 2 million in the streets. I know my peeps in New York City will represent, despite the authorities’ best efforts to shut em down. Imagine the symbolism of millions at the UN in New York City giving a collective finger to the militarism allegedly waged in their name, right at this moment in history…

I’m still moved by French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin’s comments yesterday there:

“To those who are anguished, wondering when and how we are going to cede to war, I would like to say that nothing at any time in this Council will be done in haste, in misunderstanding, out of suspicion or out of fear. In this temple of the United Nations, we are the guardians of an ideal, the guardians of a conscience. This onerous responsibility and immense honor . . . must lead us to give priority to disarmament through peace.

This message comes to you today from an old country, France; from a continent like mine, Europe, that has known war, occupation, barbarity. It is an old country that does not forget and is very aware of all it owes to freedom fighters who came from America and elsewhere. And yet France has always stood upright in the face of history before mankind. Faithful to its values, it wants resolutely to act together with all members of the international community. France believes in our ability to build together a better world.”

And putting aside my feelings about the Chinese Communist Party for a moment, I couldn’t help but be moved by these words from Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan: “Mr. President, China is an ancient civilization. Our ancestors proposed long ago the idea of peace being the best option.” I’m not sure about some of those cadre’s ancestors, but I do know that’s what my ancestors passed on to me.

In other news, if you’re in Los Angeles, try to make some time to check this out…

MEDIA OWNERSHIP:

A public forum on FCC rules

Tuesday, February 18, 2003

USC Davidson Conference Center

We are pleased to confirm a balanced, thought-provoking dialogue and public forum about proposed FCC rules changes governing media ownership.

Members of the Federal Communication Commission will be joined by leaders from industry, the creative community, labor, public policy, and the academic community for the day-long forum next Tuesday, February 18, beginning at 9:00 am at USC’s Davidson Conference Center, 3415 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. The event is near capacity. Seating is not guaranteed and we are no longer taking RSVPs.

For those who cannot attend the Media Ownership public forum, there are several ways to participate:

1. Conference Call: Individuals wishing to listen in to the forum may call 800-279-5852 to listen to the proceedings.

2. Webcast: The forum will be webcast on the USC Annenberg Web site: http://annenberg.usc.edu

3.Email: Individuals may submit comments online and via email at: ascevent@usc.edu. These messages will be monitored throughout the day and shared with conference participants.

This forum is organized by USC Annenberg’s Center for Communication Law & Policy, operated in partnership with the USC Law School.

Here’s the latest agenda:

MEDIA OWNERSHIP:

A public forum on FCC rules

Tuesday, February 18, 2003

USC Davidson Conference Center

3415 S. Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90089

Agenda (as of 2/14/03)

8:30 a.m. Registration

9:15 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

9:20 a.m. Comments from FCC Commissioners

Kathleen Abernathy (via teleconference)

Jonathan Adelstein

Michael Copps

Kevin Martin (via teleconference)

Michael Powell (statement delivered by Susan Eid, FCC Legal Advisor)

9:40 a.m. Legal Overview

Doug Lichtman, University of Chicago Law School

10:00 a.m. Panel I: Economics / Diversity in Entertainment Programming

Moderator:

Geoffrey Cowan, dean, USC Annenberg School for Communication

Panelists:

C. Edwin Baker, professor, Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Law

Diane English, writer/producer

Martin Franks, executive vice president, CBS

Jon Mandel, co-CEO, MediaCom

Bruce Owen, Senior Fellow, Stanford University Institute for Economic Policy Analysis

Mark Pedowitz, executive vice president, ABC Entertainment Television Group

Jeff Smulyan, president and CEO, Emmis Communications

John Wells, film and television producer, former president of Writers Guild of America

11:30 a.m. Break

11:45 a.m. Panel II: National Television Ownership

Moderator:

Thomas Hollihan, associate dean, USC Annenberg School

Panelists:

Darnell Hunt, professor of sociology, UCLA

Paula Madison, president and general manager, KNBC

Benjamin Tucker, president, Fisher Broadcasting

Others TBA

12:45 p.m. Lunch (box lunches available in Vineyard Room for $10)

1:45 p.m. Panel III: Local News: Duopoly, Cross-Ownership Rules

Moderator:

Tracy Westen, adjunct professor, USC Annenberg School for Communication

Panelists:

Nancy Bauer-Gonzales, news director, KCAL-KCBS

Belva Davis, AFTRA national vice president, KRON-TV

James Hamilton, associate professor, Duke University

Jay Harris, founding director, USC Annenberg’s Center for the Study of Journalism and Democracy at USC

Marty Kaplan, associate dean, USC Annenberg School for Communication and director, Norman Lear Center

Shaun Sheehan, vice president, Tribune Co.

3:15 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. Panel IV: Radio: A Test Case for Deregulation

Moderator:

Linda Cohen, professor, USC Law School

Panelists:

Jim Ladd, author, radio personality, 95.5 KLOS

Steve Vai, musician

Others TBA

4:30 p.m. Public Comments

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow/Push Coalition

Others TBA

5:00 p.m. Closing

posted by Jeff Chang @ 11:47 am | 0 Comments

Monday, February 3rd, 2003

A last piece today from the New York Times on how satellite radios are marketing themselves for their music, over the limited playlists of commercial radio…interesting stuff.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 3:30 pm | 0 Comments

Monday, February 3rd, 2003

Davey D has put up a site called Hip Hop and Radio that gathers up a great batch of stuff on the fall of urban and Churban radio. Check it out .

posted by Jeff Chang @ 3:13 pm | 0 Comments

Monday, February 3rd, 2003

Followup here on Clear Channel’s voice-tracking jones. Here’s a piece in today’s New York Times about how Carson Daly’s voice is manipulated, cut and paste together to do a “local” Top 10 countdown show that airs in 11 cities. Check it out here.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 8:51 am | 0 Comments

Feed Me!

Revolutions

DJ Nu-Mark :: Take Me With You
DJ Nu-Mark remixes the diaspora…party ensues!
El General + Various Artists :: Mish B3eed : Khalas Mixtape V. 1
The crew at Enough Gaddafi bring the most important mixtape of 2011–the street songs that launched the Tunisian & Egyptian Revolutions…
J. Period + Black Thought + John Legend :: Wake Up! Radio mixtape
Remixing the classic LP w/towering contributions from Rakim, Q-Tip + Mayda Del Valle
Lyrics Born :: As U Were
Bright production + winning rhymes in LB’s most accessible set ever
Model Minority :: The Model Minority Report
The SoCal Asian American rap scene that produced FM keeps surprising…
Mogwai :: Hardcore Won't Die But You Will
Dare we call it majestic?
Taura Love Presents :: Picki People Volume One
From LA via Paris with T-Love, the global post-Dilla generation goes for theirs…

Word

Cormac McCarthy :: Blood Meridian
Read this now before Hollywood f*#ks it up.
Dave Tompkins :: How To Wreck A Nice Beach
Book of the decade, nuff said.
Joe Flood :: The Fires
The definitive account of why the Bronx burned
Mark Fischer :: Capitalist Realism
K-Punk’s philosophical manifesto reads like his blog, snappy and compelling. Just replace pop music with post-post-Marxism. Pair with Josh Clover’s 1989 for the full hundred.
Nell Irvin Painter :: The History of White People
Well worth a Glenn Beck rant…and everyone’s scholarly attention
Robin D.G. Kelley :: Thelonious Monk : The Life And Times Of An American Original
Monk as he was meant to be written
Tim Wise :: Colorblind
Wise’s call for a color-conscious agenda in an era of “post-racial” politics is timely
Victor Lavalle :: Big Machine
Victor Lavalle does it again!