FCC Commissioner Calls For Greater Regulation of News Media

NewsBusters ^ | 12/2/10 | Kyle Drennen

[Nachum]

In a Wednesday interview on BBC World News America, liberal FCC Commissioner Michael Copps told correspondent Katty Kay: "I think American media has a bad case of substance abuse right now....we are going to be pretty close to denying our citizens the essential news and information that they need to have in order to make intelligent decisions about the future direction of their country."

As TVNewser reported on Thursday, after Kay asked about instituting a "Public Value Test" of media outlets, Copps replied: "What we've had in recent years is an aberration where we have had no oversight of the media. For years and years we had some public interest guidelines...they agreed to serve the public interest and that public interest to me right now is crying 'news and information, news and information, news and information.'"

Despite seeming to endorse heavy-handed government regulation of news media, Copps legitimately criticized the lack of hard news coverage: "It's a pretty serious situation that we're in. I think American media has a bad case of substance abuse right now. We are not producing the body of news and information that democracy needs to conduct its civic dialogue, we're not producing as much news as we did five years, 10 years, 15 years ago and we have to reverse that trend."

[Nachum]

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[Entrepreneur]

Well, there is a little thing standing in the way of their totalitarian impulses. It’s called THE CONSTITUTION!

[SandRat]

More like he wants to turn it into Isvetsia, Pravda, and Tass and be the Minister of Propaganda.

[screaminsunshine]

I call for greater de-funding of the FCC. Close their office turn off the power and stop their pay.

[huldah1776]

Well, here is how to communicate with the FCC.

Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov

[Red Steel]

Dumbass -

"I think American media has a bad case of substance abuse right now....we are going to be pretty close to denying our citizens the essential news and information that they need to have in order to make intelligent decisions about the future direction of their country."

He means approved by Obama government news.

These guys are playing with fire.

[Windflier]

So, this chattering Commie, Copps, goes on BBC to talk up some sort of (implied) government “oversight” of the news media, as if there’s no 1st Amendment standing in the way.

Typical left-wing Borg operative.

And, we all know that by “news media”, he means Fox News and conservative talk radio. He’s not fooling anyone.

[Mr_Moonlight]

As I said on an earlier thread regarding this statement by Copps -- It isn't the FCC's job nor it's function to determine or shape the content of what does or doesn't get broadcast --

He is WAY out of line with this statement

[VeniVidiVici]

Wow! Brain dead AND a communist! No wonder he was high on Barry’s “need to hire” scale!

[colorado tanker]

Now why didn't I think of that?

Oh, wait, I DID!

[bunkerhill7]

FCC Commissioner Calls For Greater Strangulation of News Media

[Wurlitzer]

"Well, there is a little thing standing in the way of their totalitarian impulses. It’s called THE CONSTITUTION! "

Sorry, the constitution is no longer the foundation of this country. The ignorant voters have been electing usurpers of the constitution for years especially by electing lawyers who make a living out of twisting the law. By foisting the lie of a living document and a 100% political USSC (both sides of the aisle) the constitution is just an old document which might get some lip service by our education system. What all these constitutionally ignorant lawyers and judges can never answer is if the constitution was intended to be a "Living Document" or to be altered via "case law" then why the heck did the founders go to such length to create a slow, complex, deliberate amendment process? They cannot respond to this question because their premise is false and an insult to the intentions of the founders.

[cripplecreek]

Actually, he learned ut from Edward Bernays who was employed by Woodrow Wilson.

[FrankR]

The left is just getting all wee-wee'd up that people don't believe their MSM, liberal steno-pool anymore; I mean, it's really, really hard to spread lies and propaganda when so many other outlets are bent on telling the truth.

"If we could only stifle Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and FOX news for a while, we could lie our way back into power again."

Someone needs to tell numbnutts Copps that the SECOND AMENDMENT guarantees us a FIRST AMENDMENT...'nuff said.

[purplelobster]

Michael Copps is the Democrat kook who spent years obsessing over the exposure of Janet Jackson’s nipple during the Super Bowl halftime, finally imposing huge fines for the slip.

[Aetius]

When it comes to the Constitution, the Left disregards actual rights that are actually enumerated, while embracing ridiculous, absurd ‘rights’ that have no basis in the Constitution and are instead nothing but the political preference of judges.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

If he truly wants dissemination of news and information, the best way is to suspend the DMCA, and have much greater limits over what that is published to the Internet that can legally be copyrighted.

A simple rule of thumb should be that if people have to pay for it, then it is copyrightable. If it is provided free, then outside of fair use, the creator can demand recognition as the creator, with republication.

[denydenydeny]

"What we've had in recent years is an aberration where we have had no oversight of the media.

234 years, to be exact. The "aberration" is better known as THE FIRST AMENDMENT. The new Congress needs to haul this clown into hearings and read him the riot act. And the Constitution while they're at it.

[marron]

I call for greater de-funding of the FCC. Close their office turn off the power and stop their pay.

Seriously. De-fund them.