Local civil rights groups fear the return of Ma Bell telephone consolidation

03.25.2011– While some have applauded the $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile by ATT, the Center for Media Justice, along with the more than 100 local community organizations of the Media Action Grassroots Network, strenuously opposes the merger. Together, these groups represent low-income families and communities of color in Minnesota, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Kentucky, Tennessee, Albuquerque, Seattle, Atlanta, San Antonio, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Native communities nationwide.

Malkia A. Cyril, spokesperson for the Network and Director of the Center for Media Justice claims the merger threatens to reduce consumer protections and eliminate the competition needed to keep phone bills low.

“Phone bills are already too high, jobs and choices already too few. This merger will kill jobs, reduce choices, and raise costs- does that sound good to you? There are two ways to keep costs low - competition and subsidies. While there are those willing to give away both in exchange for a piece of the ATT pie, it seems clear that if you want affordable phone bills and consumer protection you have to oppose the proposed merger.”

Challenging ATT’s claims that the merger would create jobs, Todd Wolfson, MAG-Net spokesperson and organizer at the Media Mobilizing Project of Philadelphia said, “Mergers don’t historically create jobs, they eliminate them. This merger stands to kill tens of thousands of jobs at a time when unemployment rates are staggering.”

“This merger will impact workers right here in my back yard. It makes no sense that any group that advocate for workers rights would support this merger,” said LeeAnn Hall, Director of Alliance for a Justice Society , an advocacy group working to improve conditions in Washington State and throughout the Northwest.