The leading PR trade association, the Public Relations Society of America, is calling on its 20,000 members to organize a "broad grassroots initiative to persuade the Federal Communications Commission to postpone its scheduled June 2 vote on the biennial review of regulations for broadcast ownership." The group, which represents government, corporate, institutional and individual public relations practitioners, says it advocates postponement of the FCC vote "until the Commission proactively encourages full public participation in an open, r

The White House is dedicating $60 million to the proposed Middle East TV Network. The Broadcasting Board of Governors, a federal agency, will oversee the network, which will be headed by former CNN Washington bureau chief William Headline. "The BBG is currently doing market research in several Muslim countries that will determine the network's programming," PR Week writes. "Government officials are insisting that the network's purpose is not to influence Muslims with US propaganda, but to bring independent journalism into a region more accustomed to government-controlled press.

"Critics say the chance of hearing unique and offbeat voices in broadcasting could drop dramatically even as the number of outlets proliferates when the Federal Communications Commission votes on media ownership rules in about a week," reports Reshma Kapadia. "Like the Wal-Mart supercenters that have crowded out the mom-and-pop stores on Main Street and changed the U.S. retail landscape, the five major media owners could tighten their grip on programming, squeezing out local and independent views."