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The FCC needs to pull some broadcast licenses to stop the panic - chat/vanity
3/11/2020 | self

Posted on 03/11/2020 1:00:48 PM PDT by 1Old Pro

. The broadcast by a station of false information concerning a crime or catastrophe violates the FCC's rules if: ;The station licensee knew that the information was false; ;Broadcasting the false information directly causes substantial public harm; and ;It was foreseeable that broadcasting the false information would cause such harm.

In this context, a “crime” is an act or omission that makes the offender subject to criminal punishment by law, and a “catastrophe” is a disaster or an imminent disaster involving violent or sudden events affecting the public. The broadcast must cause direct and actual damage to property or to the health or safety of the general public, or diversion of law enforcement or other public health and safety authorities from their duties, and the public harm must begin immediately.

If a station airs a disclaimer before the broadcast that clearly characterizes the program as fiction and the disclaimer is presented in a reasonable manner under the circumstances, the program is presumed not to pose foreseeable public harm.

sort by News Distortion. The Commission often receives complaints concerning broadcast journalism, such as allegations that stations have aired inaccurate or one-sided news reports or comments, covered stories inadequately, or overly dramatized the events that they cover.

For the reasons noted previously, the Commission generally will not intervene in these cases because it would be inconsistent with the First Amendment to replace the journalistic judgment of licensees with our own. However, as public trustees, broadcast licensees may not intentionally distort the news. The FCC has stated that “rigging or slanting the news is a most heinous act against the public interest.”

The Commission will investigate a station for news distortion if it receives documented evidence of rigging or slanting, such as testimony or other documentation, from individuals with direct personal knowledge that a licensee or its management engaged in the intentional falsification of the news.

Of particular concern would be evidence of the direction to employees from station management to falsify the news. However, absent such a compelling showing, the Commission will not intervene.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: coronavirus; fakenews
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To: 1Old Pro

What? No firing squad if they stray from the party line??


21 posted on 03/11/2020 1:15:49 PM PDT by LouieFisk
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To: Junk Silver
You think Free Republic’s right to exist wouldn’t be the first thing to go in your little scenario?

We have rules to abide by, what are theirs? Well, the FCC sets them. Free Speech is not an absolute.

22 posted on 03/11/2020 1:15:57 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Yo-Yo
The accountability is that you drop cable television in protest.

That's like saying it's OK for a hospital to violate rules and it's up to me to find a new one. There are certain responsibilities with the 1st amendment, it is not absolute as you know.

23 posted on 03/11/2020 1:18:05 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: dfwgator

Yes.

Pulling FCC licenses would accomplish nothing.

Media has many other ways to get the fear and disinformation out.


24 posted on 03/11/2020 1:20:04 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Click my screen name for an analysis on how HIllary wins next November.)
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To: 1Old Pro

Methinks that would multiply the panic.


25 posted on 03/11/2020 1:20:13 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Fact: Gun control laws kill innocents.)
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To: RandallFlagg
Me thinks that would multiply the panic.

we will find out.

26 posted on 03/11/2020 1:22:08 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: 1Old Pro

Once again, the FCC only has jurisdiction over BROADCAST media. That includes:

- Mix 97.1 FM, Today’s Classic Hits
- NewsTalk 1110AM WAYU
- WDBX-TV 7 Your Hometown Station

It does NOT include any CABLE NETWORK, SOCIAL MEDIA or INTERNET WEBSITES.

And the control it does have over speech on broadcast media is very limited (i.e. Carlin’s 7 dirty words)


27 posted on 03/11/2020 1:23:10 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: Sarah Barracuda
bolt your behind to your sofa you don't need to travel to Italy

Fortunately they can't as Italy has disallowed travel to Italy, and even within Italy. 8>)

Some on this board are just hysterical about this coronavirus.

Totally unwarranted. If you are older with a immune system that is compromised, stay put. Otherwise, if you catch the coronavirus, the odds are in your favor that you will survive.

This panic is doing nothing but causing other real issues that have even more dire consequences. Losing jobs, perhaps even entire industries, such as the airline industry, restaurant industry, hotel industry. Time for people to take a chill pill.

28 posted on 03/11/2020 1:25:18 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: 1Old Pro

I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020


29 posted on 03/11/2020 1:28:17 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Buckeye McFrog
Once again, the FCC only has jurisdiction over BROADCAST media. That includes: - Mix 97.1 FM, Today’s Classic Hits - NewsTalk 1110AM WAYU - WDBX-TV 7 Your Hometown Station

O.K. then, pull the 90's station and I'll be happy.

30 posted on 03/11/2020 1:28:21 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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31 posted on 03/11/2020 1:28:25 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Fact: Gun control laws kill innocents.)
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To: RoseofTexas
Where do we apply?

We don't. Because it's a stupid idea that 1) will never happen, and 2) will not touch cable or internet sources.

Other than that, what a genius notion!

32 posted on 03/11/2020 1:30:12 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. - Dwight Eisenhower, 1957)
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To: 1Old Pro

when I send an e-mail or make a phone call or text, no one stops it because of it’s political content. But when I post on FB it sometimes gets stopped and sometimes I am suspended. Others have been banned for political speech. This week Trump’s ads were blocked by7 FB.

This is what the FCC should be concerned with.


33 posted on 03/11/2020 1:32:00 PM PDT by stuckincali
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To: 1Old Pro

Suppress medical information now!!!


34 posted on 03/11/2020 1:33:04 PM PDT by babble-on
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To: 1Old Pro

Whose “licence” would you like pulled?

CNN’s? MSNBC maybe?

Because they don’t have licenses from the FCC. As you should know before wasting time and space posting a vanity like this.

You can’t treat one actually licensed broadcaster differently from the rest so under what stretch of imagination do you think US law allows ALL NBC licensed stations to be sanctioned?

Most vanities are dumb but this one just about takes the cake.


35 posted on 03/11/2020 1:34:35 PM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

A decimated economy and on going “crisis” will mean the President will not be re-elected. The media whores know this.


36 posted on 03/11/2020 1:34:57 PM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: 1Old Pro
In college, we actually had to get individual FCC licences to DJ at the radio station. I probably still have mine somewhere, though that requirement was done away with years ago.

These days, try telling the FCC anything in your post, and you will be met with this:


37 posted on 03/11/2020 1:36:43 PM PDT by real saxophonist (Norovirus survivor; Hey Coronavirus - Bring it!)
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To: bigbob
Most vanities are dumb but this one just about takes the cake.

Then why respond? Whose “licence” would you like pulled?

It's license. can't pull a licence.

38 posted on 03/11/2020 1:37:11 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: 1Old Pro

The corporate media likes fear porn because it gets ratings. I see this on my local stations when there is bad weather and they hype the danger to the community.


39 posted on 03/11/2020 1:37:48 PM PDT by Ticonderoga34
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To: 1Old Pro

ABC news just broke into broadcasting a little while ago with a Special Report. It was all about hyping the stock market fall and the Virus. It offered nothing of value. It was all designed to make things worse.


40 posted on 03/11/2020 1:38:23 PM PDT by Revel
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