That's exactly why Jim Heavner opposes the proposals to do away with ownership caps. "I believe that the public's interests are best served if all broadcasting media were owned by the people who lived in the city of license, if these licenses are finite."

Pro-business, anti-consolidation
Heavner's company, VilCom, was once a small media powerhouse in its own right. Over the years, it acquired about 30 radio stations. It has sold off all but one, WCHL 1390 AM, but VilCom still has various other holdings, such as the lucrative University Directories, which publishes phone books at 100 colleges. "I'm a business person and will generally defend the efficacy of the free enterprise system as the best way for us to advance free societies," Heavner said in an interview at his office. The view looks out onto the VilCom campus, with shiny new office buildings that make up the company's commercial real estate division. Heavner is a dyed in the wool Tar Heel fan who takes pride in the fact that he wields a great deal of influence in Chapel Hill. Even the curtains in his office are Carolina blue.

An unapologetic businessman, Heavner insists that this is not about the virtue or vice of the corporations that are eager to buy up stations and plug them into a profit-making business. He explained how the business operates, and why community interests sometimes get lost. "The home office flies into town, meets with the manager and says 'How are we going to make our sales goals? How are we going to improve our profitability so we can be successful?' There's nothing wrong with that. But when it comes to broadcasting, the communities are not as well served."

....Guillory believes lack of local coverage strikes at the heart of the media's role in a democratic society. "That's the critical role of journalism, to keep people in touch with local officials and keep public officials accountable to the voters. We can't let our democracy be guided by just a few news barons."

The buy-back of WCHL was possible because Curtis Broadcasting was owned by Heavner's good friend, Don Curtis, a guy he can make deals with over lunch. But in most American cities, there is neither the will nor the cash nor the access to buy back radio stations and turn them into local outlets. The momentum toward consolidation is nearly impossible to stop.

"I'm not sure that the biggest damage has not already been done in a way that it will be hard to undo," Heavner said.