PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

In a surprise move, a Philadelphia federal appeals court on Wednesday, September 3, blocked the controversial new FCC media ownership rules from going into effect. The new rules—which the FCC voted for on June 2 despite an unprecedented outpouring of opposition from across the political spectrum—would allow huge media corporations to own even more television stations and newspapers. The rules would have gone into effect today, September 4th.

The Prometheus Radio Project, a Philadelphia-based collective that promotes low-power FM community-based radio stations, petitioned the Third Circuit Court of Appeals to issue a stay pending resolution of Congressional proceedings. The U.S. House of Representatives in July defied its Republican leadership to vote for retaining current restrictions on the size of national TV networks. Senate appropriators on Thursday are expected to consider a measure reversing the new rules' relaxation of limits on national TV network size, and the full Senate could vote as early as next week.

The Court's stay means that rules in effect before the June 2 FCC vote remain in place—for the time being.

PROTESTS PLANNED FOR TODAY IN PITTSBURGH AND OTHER CITIES

Meanwhile, activists had planned protests at media outlets on September 4th in at least a half a dozen cities, including Pittsburgh. Activists say they will go ahead with their protests to challenge corporate media control over what America sees and hears, and to demand that Congress permanently rescind the rules and break up the media oligopolies.

Media activists also hope to counter the new pro-consolidation advertising campaign that was launched this week by the corporate media giants. According the Wall Street Journal, lobbyists for Viacom (CBS), General Electric (NBC) and News Corporation (Fox) will attempt to convince lawmakers that voters don't want the government regulating the airwaves. They have ads running this week in two Washington political publications, The Hill and Roll Call, using the slogan, "America Says: Don't Get Between Me And My TV."

Protests against the new media ownership rules are planned in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, and Washington, DC. In Pittsburgh, activists will march from the Federal Building to KDKA (owned by Viacom) to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The group sponsoring the local protest (Pittsburgh Media Action) demands that the FCC break up behemoths like Viacom, which owns two of Pittsburgh's stations (KDKA and WNPA).

After the protest, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center will host an open house at its Garfield office, 4805 Penn Ave. Some recent IMC newsreels will be screened.

Local call to action | National mobilization site | Prof. Sterne lecture on media monopoly | Pittsburgh M29 protest at Clear Channel | 3rd District Court Stay order

People Against Police Violence (PAPV) Director Renee Wilson was taken to the county jail today, Wednesday, September 3 at 6pm after surrendering herself to county police. It is expected that she will be arraigned some time tonight and will be out by tomorrow morning.

The arrest of Renee Wilson is the latest in a series of police retaliations against PAPV's director and her family. On August 19th, Mt. Oliver police arrested her son and daughter, along with the girl friend of the late Damian Jordan, all on trumped up charges. Yesterday, September 2, the police again arrested Wilson's son on two charges stemming from the August 19 arrest: fleeing from arrest, and possession of a controlled substance. He was released earlier today at 1pm after bond was posted.

Wilson is herself being charged with bad checks, access device fraud, and criminal conspiracy. The last two are felonies. An "access device" most likely refers to a bank machine card. The criminal conspiracy charges refer to police allegations that Wilson and her ex-husband have attempted to defraud banks. Since it is the FBI, not local police, who typically investigate bank fraud, the charges are suspicious.

All these charges were initiated by Mt. Oliver police after PAPV applied for a permit to march in Mt. Oliver to demand for justice for two African-American men who were killed in police custody. The two men include Charles Dixon, 43, who was asphyxiated by police in Mt. Oliver on December 21, 2002, and Damian Jordon, 26, who--according to the police--hung himself in jail with his tee shirt, by the bars on the door of the cell in 1999. On July 21, 2003 Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht recommended that homicide charges be filed in Dixon's death. PAPV is pressing District Attorney Steven Zappala to take action on the Mt. Oliver police responsible for asphyxiating Dixon and to further investigate the death of Damian Jordon.

Mt. Oliver Magistrate Anna Marie Scharding issued a warrant for Wilson's arrest on August 22, but Wilson and PAPV only learned about the warrant yesterday when police forced their way into the respective homes of Wilson's son, daughter and niece. The police apparently performed comprehensive searches, looking underneath beds and inside closets for PAPV's Director.

PAPV organizer Nathaniel Glosser hopes that Renee Wilson will be released on her own recognizance since she surrendered herself. However, he is prepared to post bail. Glosser also reports that she is holding up well and isn't scared of the police charges. The Saturday march on Mt. Oliver will go ahead as planned.

PAPV will hold a press conference tomorrow, 10:30am, at PAPV's office, 801 Union Place, to discuss the charges against Renee and the connection to the Mt. Oliver march.

Past IMC Coverage: [ March 22 PAPV march | February 15 rally in Uniontown ]
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Saturday, August 23, Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson, the couple who founded Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) came to speak in Pittsburgh. Their son Joe was sent to Iraq with the US Marines. She explained “a year ago our son Joe was deployed. The drumbeats for war were getting louder and louder. We couldn’t understand the messages we were hearing."

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A march against the occupation of Iraq was cut short this afternoon after an arrest was made at Fifth and Bellefield, about 20 minutes in to the 150 person-strong march.

Marchers had taken over the streets after cutting through the Carnegie Mellon campus, marching down Morewood and turning left on to Fifth Avenue. Marchers continued on Fifth Ave on the street until Craig Street, at which point police ordered marchers on to the sidewalk.

The protestor who was arrested is apparently accused of picking up a piece of litter with the intent to throw it at a police car, although no witnesses so-far report seeing anything thrown or any gestures to do so made.

This was the first major anti-war gathering in Pittsburgh since last spring. On March 20th, 122 protestors were arrested during a march through downtown Pittsburgh.
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A24 March Cut Short by Arrest
A march against the occupation of Iraq was cut short this afternoon after an arrest was made at Fifth and Bellefield, about 20 minutes in to the 150 person-strong march.

The Pittsburgh Organizing Group-sponsored picnic, rally, and march against the occupation of Iraq brought out a crowd that had grown to an estimated 200 by the time of the march.

Following a rally at Schenley Park's Flagstaff Hill, protestors cut through the Carnegie Mellon University campus, and then marched down Morewood Avenue in Oakland. Marchers chanted antiwar slogans, and Pittsburgh Police drove alongside and behind marchers on Morewood. Marchers turned onto Fifth Avenue toward downtown. Marchers who were in the street on Fifth Avenue were asked by police to move to the sidewalk at the intersection of Craig and Fifth.

Protestors cooperated and continued on the sidewalk until Fifth and Bellefield, where marchers dispersed following an arrest. [ Details ] The protestor who was arrested is apparently accused of picking up a piece of litter with the intent to throw it at a police car. No witnesses so-far report seeing anything thrown at a police car or any gestures to do so made.

This was the first major anti-war gathering in Pittsburgh since last spring. On March 20th, 122 protestors were arrested during a march through downtown Pittsburgh.

Photos: [ Rally | 1 ] [ March | 1 2 ] Accounts: [ 1 2 ] Video: [ 1 ] Audio: [ 1]