Posted on 10/12/2004 12:43:39 PM PDT by rface
FCC
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Powell:
We write to express our concern over a recent LA Times article (attached) regarding the planned preemption of regular station programming by the Sinclair Broadcast Group in favor of an anti-Kerry attack ad expected to last approximately 90 minutes, and to ask that you look into this matter to determine whether it represents a proper use of public airwaves or if, instead, it would violate fairness rules now in place.
The attached article alleges that Sinclair Broadcasting has ordered its stations, including affiliates of Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, WB and UPN, to preempt their regular programming and replace it with material prepared for political use, shortly prior to the November 2 election. To allow a broadcasting company to air such a blatantly partisan attack in lieu of regular programming, and to classify that attack as "news programming" as has been suggested, would violate the spirit, and we think the text, of current law and regulation.
Additionally, while there is some indication that Senator Kerry may be invited to a panel discussion following the airing of this "program" in order to satisfy fairness regulations, it seems clear to us that any such invitation would be merely a transparent attempt to circumvent the fine print of the law and proceed with this partisan plan. Equal time rules exist for a purpose - to prevent the airing of one-sided political content without equal response time given to the opposing view or candidate. In this case, it is impossible to imagine how the equal time rules would be satisfied if this plan is allowed to go forward.
We urge you to investigate this matter immediately, and would appreciate a response as to whether you will, in fact, investigate these allegations."
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA),
Patrick Leahy (D-VT),
Edward Kennedy (D-MA),
Byron Dorgan (D-ND),
Jack Reed (D-RI),
Bill Nelson (D-NE),
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI),
Carl Levin (D-MI),
Ron Wyden (D-OR),
Bob Graham (D-FL),
Dick Durbin (D-IL),
Tim Johnson (D-SD),
Harry Reid (D-NV),
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR),
Ernest Hollings (D-SC)
and Patty Murray (D-WA).
I am sure they asked the same of 9-11, riiight?
man are they RUNNING scared!!!.....
it wasnt too long ago that they all sent a letter to the FCC about FOX NEWS and wanted them to be investigated HAHAHHAHAHAHA
poor widdle fellers!
Bill Nelson of FL or Ben Nelson of NE?
Big difference.
Where did all of their tolerance go?
I think they should be "probed".
*Chill Wind Blowing* ping
Can you say "prior restraint?" I knew you could.
I am shocked that neither of the People's Democratic State of Maryland's two Dim Senators (Sarbanes and Mikulski) signed on to this. Mikulski is up for reelection, so she may be concerned about being targeted herself, but ol' Paul Sarbanes is a Senator-for-life.
Murray is running for re-election.
Her opponent should make sure and bring up the fact that she is accusing Sinclair of committing an act that has yet to happen.
They're scared. Remember the release and hype of Mickey Mouse Moore's movie who also wants the movie played evening before election. Turnabout is fair play. Release the film Sinclair. You're doing the nation a big favor by playing the Swifties film.
what happens if Sinclair runs the movie anyway? What would happen to them?
You can bet your arse that the 'rats in Hollywood are working ovetrtime on a Kerry hagiography that would make Joseph Stalin blush.
Where is the ACLU? After all the crying wolf on the Left, we finally have an ACTUAL case of attempted censorship and all I hear are crickets.
This is freakin' unbelievable....have they no eyes that they cannot see?
Some snot-nosed Kerry aid warned Sinclair to wish Kerry didn't get elected. I missed his name but Rush was talking about it today.
Lurch and Robin the Wonder Boy didn't sign it, of course. They were absent that day (again)...
TRUTH HURTS
Every Frickin Freeper on the planet would support them and their sponsors along with all their friends and family.
Just a hunch...
His name is Chad Clanton and he is a Kerry campaign senior advisor.
Don't see no chicknD's there yet...Good keep it that way.
Me thinks...if this crap goes on for too long...the RNC has enough evidence to counter-sue and provide a one-two punch to the DNC that will take years for them to recover from....
Thank you. Wonder if he has a real job ?
These Democrats oppose the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Looks like this must be a direct hit. Bullseye!
Is the Michael Moore film to be shown on Monday night prior to the election getting the same treatment?
That's my question......I think we BOTH know the answer to that, though.
FCC COMMISSIONER COPPS CRITICIZES SINCLAIR CORPORATE DECISION TO PREEMPT LOCAL STATIONS FOR POLITICAL BROADCAST
Commissioner Michael J. Copps reacted to reports that Sinclair Broadcast Group will preempt more than 60 local stations across the country to air an overtly political program in the days prior to the Presidential election.
Copps stated: “This is an abuse of the public trust. And it is proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its political ideology -- whether liberal or conservative. Some will undoubtedly question if this is appropriate stewardship of the public airwaves. This is the same corporation that refused to air Nightline’s reading of our war dead in Iraq. It is the same corporation that short-shrifts local communities and local jobs by distance-casting news and weather from hundreds of miles away. It is a sad fact that the explicit public interest protections we once had to ensure balance continue to be weakened by the Federal Communications Commission while it allows media conglomerates to get even bigger. Sinclair, and the FCC, are taking us down a dangerous road.”
END
The FCC will do the same "do-diligence" they've done with RatherBlather/CBS ---- Nothing!
I know, the FCC will call a Summit!
That will take care of it!
Quick, Chesley, the crying towels.
They forgot the PS to their letter:
PS: Please add our voices to those calling for a similar investigation of CBS and its airing of purported investigative reporting based solely on forged memos about the President's military service.
I emailed that ugly loser .. and I also noted in it that WE KNOW where you send your CONTRIBUTION MONEY you LIBERAL MORON... and pasted a copy of the contribution that was posted here .. HA
Since when is the DNC concerned about "the fine print of the law"?
opensecrets.org
COPPS, MICHAEL J
ALEXANDRIA,VA 22307
U S DEPT OF COMMER
11/6/2000
$1,000
DNC Services Corp
Kinda sad when the Kerry record "in fact" is attacked as being anti-Kerry.
His past is what it is.
Kerry was against Kerry before he is himself?
I am writing the hypocrite Dick "Dirtbag" Durbin, my (sarcasm) senator. Rat slimeballs only believe that the 1st Admendment applies to pornographers, perverts, pedophiles and those that would burn the American flag. (this list includes the sleazeball rat party).
It's OK to storm 'Pub headquarters across the country, terrorize campaign workers using union THUGS in the name of "free speech", but just let someone with a different ideology contest these slimeballs. Rats, Commies, Pinkos.
Rats are political prostitutes. The modern day Nazis
Blessings, Bobo
Actually, I could see the FCC trying half heartedly to stop the Sinclair showing of the documentary, but I think that Sinclair could get a quick court order allowing them to show the special.
In this election cycle, I think that the Dem's had worked with hollyweird on MM's farenheit 9/11, on the Hunting of the President (Hillary's right wing conspiracy), with Kitty Kelly on the Bush bashing book, I am sure they felt really good about MoveON.org and its meadia brainstorming and contrests as a way to get ideas for advertising, and with CBS on the Fortunate Son and CBS forged document debachle.
I suspect that the Dem's thought that they had the MSM wired and would clobber Bush via their full-court propaganda war.
Instead, they have been caught with their pants down around their ankles due to the the CBS blunder and the Swift Boat Vets.
Did they ask the same about the release of Farenheit 9/11 or The Day After Tomorrow on DVD?
Haven't the dems been petitioning CBS to run their spiked story about forged uranium documents before the election?
"We'll get to it mid November".
Chairman Powell.
Thank you. This is scary.
Looks like Schumer's off the hook.
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