Simply taking television genres
with a predominantly white cast and changing the leads to people of color doesn't
necessarily mean a correction of past failures occurs. Cultures, audiences,
opportunities, concerns, and interests could still be left out; the storylines
could still be ones that do not speak to the people who have gained a level of
representation. Also, it does matter if predominantly white people are reporting news and people of color are not and Comcast and NBC Universal should be made to address this reality publicly.
The resulting power of the merger
is relevant, despite what representatives like Rep. Buyer claim. It will not
only shape entertainment but will gain even greater lobbying power to advance
free market initiatives in Congress that oppose Internet freedom (net
neutrality) and create opportunities for increased profit. And, it will be able to
absorb and co-opt alternative/independent news and programming and play a role
in deciding who gets to access this news and programming.
*For more, read the briefing memo or talking points that were discussed at the hearing.
**The following videos show Rep. Maxine Waters in a video produced by Free Press questioning NBC's Jeff Zucker on diversity and Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) asking questions about the Comcast-NBC merger.
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