Rev. Al Sharpton wants FCC to investigate New York Post's parent company, News Corp.
Sunday, February 22nd 2009, 3:02 PM
Giancarli for News TheRev. Al Sharpton and several City Council members riled by a cartoonperceived as racist want the Federal Communications Commission to yanka waiver allowing Murdoch's News Corp. to run two newspapers and two TVstations in the city.
"You can stem protests because you own somuch of the media. People can't question you," Sharpton said on hisweekly radio show on 98.7 KISS FM. "Advertisers are reluctant to pullout because you own so much of the media market."
In additionto the Post, which last week ran the cartoon that critics say comparesPresident Obama with the face-mauling chimp shot dead by cops, NewsCorp. owns The Wall Street Journal and local Fox 5 (WNEW) and My9(WWOR). It also owns the Fox Network and online networking siteMySpace.
Sharpton said he hopes to get a million signatures online this week to show regulators the depth of opposition.
AtMedgar Evers College in Brooklyn, meanwhile, students burned copies ofthe Post and encouraged classmates to boycott the paper and shut downtheir MySpace pages. "We are the ones who are putting money in theirpockets," said Marie Antoine, a senior and president of the studentgovernment association. "They have treated us like animals."
"Wedon't need this trash," said state Sen. Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn),standing behind a barrel of burning copies of the Post. "This is whereit deserves to be."
Brooklyn City Council members Letitia Jamesand Charles Barron are demanding the city pull all advertising from thePost and cancel any subscriptions.
The protesters dismissed claims that their demands infringed on freedom of speech.
"Youhave the freedom to do it, and we have the freedom to make you pay forit," Sharpton said. "We can hardly fight back if he owns half thenewspapers in town and half the TV stations."
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