MISSING: Your local news, thanks to covert consolidation from FREEPRESS 23JUN11

THE covert consolidation of local news broadcast in the Washington D.C. area (WTTG, WRC AND WUSA) is why I stopped watching the local news about 2 years ago, and I don't feel any less informed. They have nothing to offer but milk toast reporting and stories that belong on one of those trashy Hollywood reporting broadcast. Check this out from FreePress to see if the news broadcasters are participating in covert consolidation.

Change the Channels Take Action Now: Fight Covert Consolidation

A dangerous new trend has taken hold across America, threatening local journalism and the future of news itself.
Its name? Covert consolidation.
Today, we’re launching a campaign to fight this new form of media consolidation. It's called “Change the Channels.” 
Check out our new Change the Channels site and learn how you can stop covert consolidation in your community.
Covert consolidation is what happens when broadcasters collude to cut costs and reduce competition. In many places, several TV stations are even airing the exact same story – from one viewpoint, by one reporter, from one camera angle. (Watch our video to see these deals in action).
Our new Change the Channels site uses an interactive map to make it easy to find out which stations are consolidating in your area, and what you can do about it. Go here to find out if your town is affected.
This phenomenon is now so widespread that, according to the FCC, "nearly one-third of TV stations say they are running news produced by another station."¹ We found that covert consolidation is taking place in nearly 80 markets, involving more than 200 stations.
The FCC is now reconsidering its media ownership rules, so this is a perfect chance for us to shine a spotlight on this issue and force the agency to get tough with stations that have failed the communities they are licensed to serve.
Click here to sign our letter urging the FCC to put an end to covert consolidation.
Covert consolidation takes many forms, but the results are the same: Media companies pad their bottom line by sacrificing local journalism, competition and diversity. This practice must be stopped.
Together, we can build a case for better local news that the FCC won’t be able to ignore. Check out our new site and help us change the channels today.
Thank you,
Libby Reinish
Program Coordinator
Free Press
www.freepress.net
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1. "The Information Needs of Communities" Federal Communications Commission, June 2011: http://act2.freepress.net/go/4723?akid=2600.9767049.yTJz8o&t=11