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.
Yes, there is.
And God help us all if these people regain power.
Dear Mr. Copps,I was very disappointed to read your scathing remarks concerning the planned airing of the documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal". It shows a rather blatant hypocrisy on your part when you can simultaneously preach condemnation against The Sinclair Broadcasting Group for this proposed airing, while you simultaneously look away as major networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS daily air their leftist propaganda thinly disguised as the evening news.
I would appreciate it if you reconsidered your position on this matter.
Sincerely,
Meyer
Television Week
August 2, 2004 ... President Bush has made no secret of his support for media ownership deregulation-something Sen. Kerry and running mate Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., have opposed. So at first blush, a Democratic Federal Communications Commission would be expected to be less amenable to additional deregulation. But some key lobbyists believe the FCC will leave the regulations alone no matter who prevails at the polls, because the effort by the FCC's Republican commissioners to deregulate last year was met by an unprecedented roar of disapproval-and bipartisan opposition in both houses of Congress. ''Who at the FCC is going to have the stomach for that?'' one source said.
...
Whoever wins the White House will select commissioners from his political party as the majority on the five-member panel, and will control the agency's chairmanship. So if Sen. Kerry is elected, Democrats will have a clear shot to put their stamp on FCC policy.
If Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps were promoted to the chairmanship, lobbyists predict that the crackdown on indecency would be particularly harsh. While President Bush's Republican FCC has beefed up its efforts to fine stations for indecency violations, Mr. Copps has made it no secret that he believes the agency should take away broadcast licenses for particularly egregious indecency violations. Sen. Kerry voted for legislation to crack down on indecency.
Under the gun from Congress, the FCC just last week launched an inquiry to consider extending its crackdown to violent programming-whether it appears on broadcast, cable or satellite TV. Mr. Copps has been a particularly vehement critic of TV violence. If Mr. Copps were named chairman, some lobbyists predict he would try to extend indecency prohibitions to cable, which is currently exempt from broadcast restrictions. Giving the issue a bipartisan flavor, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has also warned that Congress may extend the crackdown to cable.