What Do Ann Coulter, Angelina Jolie, Blago, Drew Peterson and Head Football Coaches Have in Common?

Answer: Full, unbridled, easy access to the media

For years, I have been lamenting about why the local news spends nearly 15 out of 30 minutes worth of public, valuable air time on the sportscast. Why does the head coach of the professional or college football team and the quarterback get to take all that time saying nothing? Why does anyone want to give Ann Coulter even the briefest moment of time? Why is Angenlina Jolie's international work so remarkable? Why do narcissists like Blago and Peterson get to call the Today Show and get an "exclusive interview." Why do we give Hollywood prime time so they can give themselves awards? Why do we allow so much TV time to be spent on honoring deceased, famous people?

When not-so-exceptional people consume air waves that belong to the public domain, why aren't we asking why and demanding change?

How could our public TV air time be put to better use in this era of change?

Imagine what it would be like to devote the majority of TV air time on educating people. PBS does this fairly well but people don't watch it as much as they do prime time networks and major cable channels. What would happen if so-called "ordinary" people were intereviewed on TV about their contributions to society? There are thousands of nonprofit organizations in this country doing "the dirty work" of our society. They cannot get prime air time the way the people mentioned can. There are so many people who have done extraordinary things without the benefit of fame and money. Why aren't they being interviewed?

The answer is because we are not demanding it. In case you didn't know, the airwaves are public domain. They are not owned by the people who have used it for personal gain and to tout their fame. We have allowed this extraordinarily valuable tool to be taken from us. And we need to take it back.

President Obama could seize the day on mass media to truly impact America by using mass media as a way to set an example and to inspire people to get involved in the world around them. Normal, everyday people should be talked about on TV. Obituaries of people, like grandmothers and teachers should be on TV. Celebrations of average lives are still news. It sets an example if mothers have the opportunity to talk about raising children in this day and age.

Frankly, I am already tired of hearing about how we need to "volunteer" in America to do good things for our country. I am a 100% supporter of the President, but I think Washington and everyone else is missing something. The reason it seems like average Americans need to "give back" to our communities is because mass media ignores the people who are actually doing it.

I want Ann Coulter to shut up so that time can be spent on positive words and actions.
I want the media to stop acting like Angelina Jolie's international accomplishments are more special than those of the people who do that work with no money and no publicity.
I want Blago and Peterson to get exactly what they deserve - no attention whatsoever.
I want to see the 5-15 minutes of sportscasts and interviews with quarterbacks given to local nonprofits who are saving lives, feeding people, helping at-risk youth, providing amazing art programs, etc.
I want to see the time spent on celebrity obituaries spent on touting the ordinary lives of people who raised their kids, worked hard, paid their taxes and volunteered at the school.
I want to replace the Academy Awards with prime time coverage of awards for people who have started nonprofits, saved a life, raised great kids, taught middle school, taken care of old people...

Most of all, I want to see Americans wake up and say - those are OUR airwaves.