Acting FCC Chair Sees Government Role in Pushing ‘Media Diversity’

CNSNews.com ^ | February 12, 2009 | Matt Cover

[Man50D]

Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps says he doesn’t support bringing back the controversial Fairness Doctrine, but he does think government has a role in enforcing media “diversity.”

That role includes re-examining licensing and other regulations for radio stations -- including AM stations dominated by talk radio -- to make them “more reflective” of public interests.

Copps, chosen by President Barack Obama to be acting chairman until a permanent replacement is named, said that he thought the Fairness Doctrine – a policy that critics say amounts to censorship – was an old fight that “didn’t need to be rehashed.”

“That’s kind of yesterday’s fight,” Copps told CNSNews.com. “I understand the goals behind it. I understand that the legislative intent is still there to make sure that our airwaves serve the public interest. (But) I don’t think the best way to get there is to just to rehash something nobody agreed about, even back in the 1950’s.”

Copps, however, said that we still need to find a way to make radio broadcasts more “reflective” of the public. Copps also said he thought the decision ultimately rested with Congress, not the FCC.

“What I’ve always said, and this is always obviously up to the discretion of Congress, not the FCC, whether we do or we don’t, to me we have to find a way to make radio reflect the public interest,” Copps explained.

However, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit ruled in 1986 that imposition of the Fairness Doctrine was in fact at the discretion of the FCC. In Telecommunications Research and Action Center v. FCC, the Court ruled that “the FCC is free to implement this requirement by reasonable rules and regulations.”

The acting chairman, meanwhile, said that some of those rules and regulations would include new licensing requirements that focus on public interest and station ownership:

CNSNews.com: Do you support expanding those rules, those public interest requirements, and ownership regulations and the licensing and things like that? Do you support expanding that to higher power FM and maybe AM stations?

Michael Copps, acting FCC chairman: Well, I’m on the record saying I’m going to look at how we put public interest considerations and guidelines back into licensing for full power stations. I think that’s something we need.

Copps also said that the past two decades of broadcasting had been marred by excessive corporate consolidation and “mindless deregulation” that had damaged localism and diversity.

“How do we ensure true localism in our broadcast environment, especially in light of the damage that has been inflicted upon that environment by two decades of excessive media consolidation and mindless deregulation of the public interest?” Copps asked in an address to the Future of Music Coalition, a Washington, D.C. gathering of music industry leaders.

Copps said that the new political climate marked a new opportunity to remake the nation’s airwaves so that they can better reflect the country’s diversity.

“I think we have a tremendous opportunity going forward to reinvigorate our media,” Copps effused, “to ensure that the public airwaves truly deliver the kind of news and information that we need to sustain our democratic dialogue and to reflect the great diversity of our country; its races and ethnic groups and culture and music and arts.

“I for one, and I know you too, want to make sure that these goals that you and I have worked so hard for remain front and center in the national agenda.”

Copps compared the effects of unregulated radio broadcasts to the economic damage caused by the nation’s mortgage crisis, saying everybody could see the harm markets could do.

“All one needs to do is look at the nation’s ailing financial sector to understand that you cannot just proceed pell-mell in the happy notion that markets will solve all problems,” Copps declared.

“Sometimes, and I think we all know this, markets create problems, and boy have they created some whoppers this time,” he said. “Sometimes we need the government to step in and provide some oversight and some public accountability and if we learn one lesson from our present national crisis, that ought to be it. I don’t really understand how anyone can come to any other conclusion.”

Copps said that when markets fail to produce a media which reflects the country’s diversity, government must step in.

“If markets cannot produce what society really cares about, like a media that reflects the true diversity and spirit of our country, then government has a legitimate role to play,” he said.

[Man50D]

Media diversity socialist translation: Stifle free speech

localism = censorship

[Tarpon]

Does that mean you can change the channel on the radio? Is that what that dial is for? I doubt attendees and viewers of the Obama-Operah shows knew that. Maybe a government PSA would help them.

What we really need is more diversity on the TV channels, they all say the same thing, the same way.

[torchthemummy]

“How do we ensure true localism in our broadcast environment..."

Localism is the stealth fairness doctrine.

[Pravious]

““If markets cannot produce what society really cares about, like a media that reflects the true diversity and spirit of our country, then government has a legitimate role to play,” he said.”

What a !@(*# moron. If society really CARED about something on the radio, people would listen and markets would produce it endlessly because they’d be making money.

It’s called capitalism - a concept this pimple on the butt of my Government seems to have forgotten.

[Doogle]

government deciding what is good for you....what was known as choice has become change

[Dahoser]

Does that mean you can change the channel on the radio? Is that what that dial is for?

No, the dial is only there when you object to pornography or foul language, otherwise the radio is diabolically locked on the conservative talk station.

[blueplum]

Copps, chosen by President Barack Obama to be acting chairman until a permanent replacementsomeone who's actually paid their taxes is named,

fixed it.

[MortMan]

“If markets cannot produce what society really cares about, like a media that reflects the true diversity and spirit of our country, then government has a legitimate role to play,” he said.

In other words, if the people don't agree with what the government sees as "diversity in media", the government reserves the right to bend the people to their will.

My frank opinion of this man would get me banned from FR.

[nbhunt]

yep talk radio.....but what about all the other media that supported the O. So clearly one sided...like all the leftist news papers, CNN, NBC, CBS etc. Ooooohhhh but those are ok....they tell the truth....yeh right! They want to govern talk radio because they are making money, and people are listing....leftist news papers are not. Next is the Internet.

[MortMan]

It’s called capitalism - a concept this pimple on the butt of my Government seems to have forgotten.

Forgetting and ignoring are two very separate things, IMO.

[mewzilla]

Note to the ‘Rats and TV advertisers: You can lead a viewer to the boob tube, but you can’t make him watch...

[Rebelbase]

Does this mean we’ll get a gay nuns on dope station?

[KenD]

The incredible audacity of claiming that the financial markets were free to begin with is ridiculous. The financial crisis exists precisely because Government interfered with normal market forces... can you say CRA?

[muawiyah]

So Copps wants to remove Hip Hop and replace it with Classical?

And Dianne Rheeme, or however she spells it ~ the old bat appears on 5 stations simultaneously in the WarshDC area ~ THAT'S ENTIRELY TOO MUCH!!!

I shall write Mr. Copps immediately and thank him for fixing it all up.

[Delacon]

 

PETITION TO BLOCK CONGRESSIONAL
ATTACKS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS

To: U.S. Congress, President of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States

Whereas, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly states: "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";

Whereas, members of Congress are recently on record saying they want to re-impose the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" on U.S. broadcasters, or else accomplish the same goal of censoring talk radio by other means, and thereby establish government and quasi-government watchdogs as the arbiters of "fairness" rather than the free and open marketplace of ideas;

Whereas, the U.S. experimented with the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" for 38 years - from 1949 through 1987 - during which time it was repeatedly used by presidents and other political leaders to muzzle dissent and criticism;

Whereas, the abandonment of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" in 1987, thanks to President Ronald Reagan, resulted in an unprecedented explosion of new and diverse voices and political speech - starting with Rush Limbaugh - that revitalized the AM radio band and provided Americans with a multitude of alternative viewpoints;

Whereas, talk radio is one of the most crucial components of the free press in America, and is single-handedly responsible for informing tens of millions of Americans about what their government leaders are doing;

Whereas, it is a wholly un-American idea that government should be the watchdog of the press and a policeman of speech, as opposed to the uniquely American ideal of a free people and a free press being the vigilant watchdogs of government;

Whereas, the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" - either under that name, or using a new name and even more devious methods - represents a frontal assault on the First Amendment, and its re-imposition would constitute nothing more nor less than the crippling of America's robust, unfettered, free press:

 

                                SIGN THE PETITION at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=87882

 

Freepmail me if you want to join my fairness doctrine ping list.

[G Larry]

Dear FCC Chair,

The fact that liberal ideas can not survive the light of day is not the fault of the free market or conservatives, and as such, requires no federal remedy.

And on Lincon’s birthday, it is worth noting that, “...you can not build up little men by tearing down big men.”

[Billg64]

This government is fascism pure and simple. I am getting depressed, there seems to be no way for us to do anything about it. The media will not report it, our legilators do not care what we think, and the idiots that vote are oblivious.
I guess it is time to sell my business, quit my part time and get on the public dole, get pumped up with anti-depressants and herald the inevitable ugly truths.

[Man50D]

And on Lincon’s birthday, it is worth noting that, “...you can not build up little men by tearing down big men.”

Actually it's not a Lincoln quote. It was originally stated by as part of a quote from Rev William JH Boetcker who wrote a pamphlet entitled The Ten Cannots.

[wildandcrazyrussian]

If this guy weren’t so reflective of the fascist mentality of the Obama administration, he might understand that the EASIEST WAY to ensure “diversity” of opinion is to make it easier to start new radio stations. Someone locally wanted to start a station, and it took almost a year to get all the regulatory approval, while paying rent and other expenses waiting and waiting.

[jersey117]

The liberals had their shot at talk radio — it just fails every time they try it. I’d love to see them try to take on Rush, Savage, Levin, Hannity, etc. and stifle free speech. Not to mention lost revenue to the station owners.