Posted on 03/01/2014 4:48:36 AM PST by abb
The Federal Communications Commission has pulled the plug on a study that sought information on the how local radio and television stations cover news.
The Critical Information Needs study was to be conducted every three years for Congress. It was aimed at eliminating barriers that make entry into the media industry difficult for entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
However, the pilot test for the survey included questions regarding the editorial practices of media and was heavily criticized both inside and outside the FCC. The test was slated for this spring in Columbia, S.C.
Besides general inquiries regarding coverage of issues including the environment and requests for insight into the decision-making process behind a newscast, it also sought details on the relationship between journalists and management.
The inclusion of questions regarding the editorial process of media was seen by critics as out of bounds for a government agency.
Most outspoken was FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, who said the FCC had no business poking around newsrooms under the guise of a fact-finding mission.
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Here’s an article by the architect of the “study.”
The real story behind the FCC’s study of newsrooms
By Lewis Friedland
February 28 at 8:54 am
It is not dropped.
IT IS THE PLAN by the First Moslem Tyrant-by-Fraud.
They will continue quietly and, as usual, sent the IRS
upon, or just kill, anyone that stands in their
antiConstitutional way.
It wasn’t the lawmaker’s outrage, it was ours...and for a change, the media’s.
Only some of the media.
That is just it, they want you to think it is ‘killed.’
It is not, they will just do this from a distance and the report will be even more insidiously flawed and hatful.
What we should be doing is demanding the whole program be defunded.
For now are the operable terms. They will push this again if they get the chance. They never stop, whether it comes to gun control, gay rights or control over the media, they will not stop.
This is where Republicans need to adjust their line of thinking and accordingly, their lines of attack.
It was a decoy.
Per the article the intent was to assess what “information needs citizens have and whether they are being met”
A typical example of government arrogance, thinking bureaucrats know better than the free market.
Too bad Joe Flint couldn’t tell the real story of Mignon Clyburn,the FCC Commissioner pushing this plan. Her dad is James Clyburn from S. Carolina 6th District (Hello! that’s where the “test” was to take place) former Democratic Whip in the House and now Assistant Democratic Leader. Of course the poor newspaper in Columbia, SC (The State)didn’t dare object. Too much reprisal at stake.
Mignon is a piece of work, living off the spoils thrown to her by daddy. Obama made her acting chairwoman of the FCC last year.
At least visibly. “Gee, there seems to be a problem with the paperwork for renewing you broadcast license. You’ll have to refile. Oh, and deadline was yesterday.” I can almost see/hear it now. Just like this sneaky backdoor admin. to do things like that. Or maybe some osha or epa issue or one of the myriad agencies.
A typical example of government arrogance, thinking bureaucrats know better than the free market.
Indeed. Citizens let their local radio stations know whether their information needs are being met by changing stations until they find one that meets their needs. The only places this may not be true is in "flyover" country, where there may only be one operating station. In that case, however, the internet offers access to any station one could want.
I listen to Radio France on the internet. My need for news in French is being met, despite there being NO local stations that offer it.
Don’t count on it.
The FCC cancelled the study because it could have resulted in a very blatant violation of the First Amendment.
And the only way to know more is through high quality research. That’s exactly what the FCC is trying to do before making critical decisions on newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership that could further reduce the production of local community information, or allowing the expansion of national cable concentration and greater control of local broadband markets that, for most Americans, are poorly performing, overpriced duopolies. To fail to even ask the questions would be an abnegation of its responsibility to the public interest.
In other words, the study was designed with facilitating FCC censorship in mind.
Nights and days of the living dead. $ocialist zombies keep coming through all agency doors.
DEFUND/DISMANTLE socialist/totalitarian collectives. Watch the zombies scream in agony and wither away. CRONY $OCIALI$M, big government (your $ and control of you) is their lifeblood.
DEPOPULATE socialist/totalitarian zombies from the body politic and your life.
Great thread BUMP! Thanks to all posters.
Oh, you mean zerO hasn’t yet signed an order to ban the First Amendment?? Shudnt!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.