A coalition of public interest organizations - including the Center for Media Justice, Center for Rural Strategies, Free Press, Media Access Project, Media Alliance and many more - have sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski asking that the Commission make increased diversity in the media and broadband communications landscape a top priority. The groups issued a joint statement explaining, "Historically marginalized communities still face countless barriers to their own members' provision and ownership of communications services. The Communications Act instructs the Commission to examine these barriers and take steps to eliminate them. This Commission has taken strides in this area, yet much work remains to be done to address persistent and growing digital divides. We urge the Commission to implement better data-gathering practices regarding the ownership of media outlets by minorities and women, and to examine diversity in pending proceedings at the Commission. For instance, we ask that extensive studies be conducted regarding the potential impact of the proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal on the diversity of voices in ownership and programming."

In the letter, the groups said that communities of color still face numerous barriers of entry into the media world. "These barriers to diversity have of late only grown larger, due to a variety a factors including economic recession, industry practices and public policies that have ignored or even widened the digital divide, and increased concentration in media and telecommunications ownership," the letter reads.

It also said that other issues in both the media and broadband sectors are worthy of the FCC's renewed attention. "Such attention and action must include explicit recognition that the decisions made in these proceedings will have a direct impact on communities of color and others who still face obstacles to participation. The Commission will soon launch its 2010 quadrennial media ownership review. We call on the Commission to address in that review and its Future of Media proceeding the structural barriers that historically and presently hinder people of color and women from owning broadcast stations, and echo the demand for increased inclusion of representatives from such communities in Commission workshops on these issues," the letter reads.

The groups also asked the Commission to move forward on the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s petition of inquiry requesting a study of the growing presence of hate speech on public airwaves and the impact of such discourse on society.