AFTRA Pittsburgh member Alan Boal testifies to the devastating effects of media consolidation before FCC Commissioners Michael J. Copps and Jonathan Adelstein in Harrisburg, PA.

PITTSBURGH (February 24, 2008) Four Pittsburgh AFTRAns and one from Philadelphia trekked to Harrisburg on Feb. 23 to testify at a special public hearing called by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency is again considering loosening its restrictions on media ownership and TV-Newspaper cross ownership.

“We went to tell the FCC how ownership consolidation of media has hurt jobs and communities,” said Local Board member and past president Alan Boal. “I was a victim of the first round of consolidation in 1996.” Boal worked at WTAE Radio prior to its acquisition by CAP Cities Communications, who later spun off the FM and AM to new owners.