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FCC cancels newsroom study after backlash from lawmakers
Los Angeles Times ^ | February 28, 2014 | Joe Flint

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fcc; msm; newsrooms
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Dead, for now.
1 posted on 03/01/2014 4:48:36 AM PST by abb
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To: abb

Here’s an article by the architect of the “study.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/02/28/the-real-story-behind-the-fccs-study-of-newsrooms/

The real story behind the FCC’s study of newsrooms

By Lewis Friedland
February 28 at 8:54 am


2 posted on 03/01/2014 4:49:58 AM PST by abb
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To: abb

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.


3 posted on 03/01/2014 4:53:41 AM PST by Diogenesis
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To: abb

It wasn’t the lawmaker’s outrage, it was ours...and for a change, the media’s.


4 posted on 03/01/2014 4:55:09 AM PST by ThePatriotsFlag ("There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: abb
as 0'Muslim and various other Marxists weep.

5 posted on 03/01/2014 4:56:30 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun..0'Caligula / 0'Reid / 0'Pelosi)
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To: ThePatriotsFlag
and for a change, the media’s.

Only some of the media.

6 posted on 03/01/2014 4:57:21 AM PST by abb
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To: abb

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.


7 posted on 03/01/2014 4:57:29 AM PST by EBH ( The Day of the Patriot has arrived.)
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To: abb

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.


8 posted on 03/01/2014 4:58:14 AM PST by Red in Blue PA (When Injustice becomes Law, Resistance Becomes Duty.-Thomas Jefferson)
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To: abb
It'll be back.

Four of five FCC study authors gave to Obama

9 posted on 03/01/2014 4:59:35 AM PST by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: abb

It was a decoy.


10 posted on 03/01/2014 5:02:55 AM PST by cornelis
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To: abb

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.


11 posted on 03/01/2014 5:07:08 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: Diogenesis

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.


12 posted on 03/01/2014 5:07:29 AM PST by plangent
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To: abb

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.


13 posted on 03/01/2014 5:10:11 AM PST by rktman (Under my plan(scheme),unemployment will necessarily skyrocket! Despite the % dropping. Period.)
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To: NittanyLion
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.

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.

14 posted on 03/01/2014 5:16:58 AM PST by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
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To: abb

Don’t count on it.


15 posted on 03/01/2014 5:17:59 AM PST by sport
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To: cornelis
What was happening elsewhere while attention was being deverted ?
16 posted on 03/01/2014 5:20:31 AM PST by sport
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To: abb

The FCC cancelled the study because it could have resulted in a very blatant violation of the First Amendment.


17 posted on 03/01/2014 5:23:16 AM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: abb
You have to go all the way to the last paragraph of the article in that link to find the real purpose of the study:

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.

18 posted on 03/01/2014 5:25:21 AM PST by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
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To: abb; All
Dead, for now.

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.

19 posted on 03/01/2014 5:33:26 AM PST by PGalt
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To: RayChuang88

Oh, you mean zerO hasn’t yet signed an order to ban the First Amendment?? Shudnt!


20 posted on 03/01/2014 5:37:42 AM PST by ResisTyr ("Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God " ~Thomas Jefferson)
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