Strange Bedfellows

As the FCC continues steamrolling towards what now seems to be an almost inevitable loosening of the rules governing media ownership, a bizarre coalition of opponents has come together to agitate for the necessity of diverse media voices. Perhaps the most unexpected participant in the organized opposition is the National Rifle Association, which is concerned that its message will go unheard in a media world dominated by a few large conglomerates. In joining the masses of artists, liberals, and media critics who oppose the changes, the NRA is taking a bit of a political risk, since the Republican politicians proposing the changes are frequently the gun lobby’s most reliable supporters.