FCC COMMISSIONER STATEMENT ON SINCLAIR AIRING OF ANTI-KERRY SHOW

[Mister K]

FCC COMMISSIONER STATEMENT ON SINCLAIR AIRING OF ANTI-KERRY SHOW
Tue Oct 12 2004 13:39:02 ET

FCC COMMISSIONER COPPS CRITICIZES SINCLAIR CORPORATE DECISION TO PREEMPT LOCAL STATIONS FOR POLITICAL BROADCAST

Commissioner Michael J. Copps reacted to reports that Sinclair Broadcast Group will preempt more than 60 local stations across the country to air an overtly political program in the days prior to the Presidential election.

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. This is the same corporation that refused to air Nightline’s reading of our war dead in Iraq. It is the same corporation that short-shrifts local communities and local jobs by distance-casting news and weather from hundreds of miles away. It is a sad fact that the explicit public interest protections we once had to ensure balance continue to be weakened by the Federal Communications Commission while it allows media conglomerates to get even bigger. Sinclair, and the FCC, are taking us down a dangerous road.”

[Endangered Specie]

1. Great... now what are you going to do about it, Copps?

[mandyky]

11. Hey, Copps is one of the GOOD guys!

I am sure they have to ACT as a unit.

[Endangered Specie]

14. I just hope he does more than criticize it.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

24. Try doing a little research before flying off the handle. Copps is ONE...

...of FIVE commissioners appointed to the FCC, and Powell (a chip off the old Colon) is the Chairman.

ALL five of the current commissioners were appointed by FratBoy. Copps and Adelstein are the only Democrats.

More below:

<http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/>

Excerpt:

FCC Commissioners
The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for 5-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. None of them can have a financial interest in any Commission-related business.

The deck is stacked against Copps...what do you want him to do other than what he's capable of doing?

[depakid]

50. YOU try doing some research

Micheal Powell was appointed by CLINTON. Not fratboy....

and if Kerry wins, he's perfectly capable of appointing Dems and Greens to fill vacancies as they arise. He can shut the Republicans out completely- as well he should.

[Bandit]

53. Ummmm better recheck your facts

When President George W. Bush appointed Michael Powell as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in 2001, conventional wisdom called it a simple payback appointment to Powell’s father, Secretary of State Colin Powell.

http://www.teevee.org/archive/2004/04/01/news-powell.html

[AndyTiedye]

18. He Can't Do Anything About It. Outvoted by Rethugs

[TaleWgnDg]

45. Copps is one of the good guys on the FCC . . .

he is a minority (political party) Commissioner on the FCC. Copps has been barking and screaming and railing against Chairman (of the FCC) Michael Powell (Colin's kid) all along.

Copps is a voice of reason.

It was Copps who insisted that the FCC hold public hearings before Chairman Powell re-wrote the FCC regulations in give-aways to major "media" corporations across America. The courts and congress came down on Powell as a result of Copps and America's outcry. (So much for "tort reform," heh!)

It's not what Copps intends to do because he is only ONE VOICE, ONE VOTE on the FCC. Instead, it's what the entire FCC will do as headed by that reactionary s.o.b. Michael Powell.

Check out this old The Economist article about the FCC structure and Powell and Copps et al
http://www.economist.com/business/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2054729
(and this is no "liberal" source)

[arcane1]

2. amen, brother Copps

:thumbsup:

[edbermac]

3. GREAT!!...But what are you going to DO about it??

[cthrumatrix]

21. does anybody know....???? So now what? This is BS...and?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

27. Read my post #24.

[meegbear]

4. BFD!!

There's nothing in here about a penalty. I'm sure Michael Powell's real upset.

[951]

5. We're making headway people!!!!

I think we should give each other a pat on the back for this great effort

[wickywom]

7. holy crap that pic looks soooo real...

Perhaps she really is a man...wow.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

38. thank you 951

that image just creeps me out....

[defoliant]

6. Sinclair has Bush military ties

http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=340


Maybe this explains why Sinclair would be willing to endanger its advertising revenue...

[donkeyotay]

31. Excellent link!

Let's hope America wakes up to the fact that the people providing their television "news" also profit from the war, a war they helped achieve.

They've privatized the military, the airwaves, and now our very government.

[are_we_united_yet]

43. Nice find!

[Fovea]

8. My suggestion

When Kerry's FCC director (I suggest Al Franken) gets in, that 65 licenses go up on the block. Local owners only. What an economic stimulus!

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. eh? "distance-casting news and weather from hundreds of miles away"

What exactly does that mean?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

26. It means that instead of airing local news, weather, etc., ...

...some of the Sinclair stations are having their news and weather broadcast in from outside the viewing range of the local stations. I suspect this is being done to ensure rightwing political purity throughout Sinclair's empire.

[BiggJawn]

33. No, ensures low-cost operations

You have a very small staff, no news department, your "Chief Engineer" is also chief for the 6 other stations he maintains on a contract basis, and your operations staff is star-struck kids who don't care that they're making $6 an hour, they're "in Teee-Veee"...

Been there, seen that.

[Zhade]

55. Indeed. I used to work for WFGX, a Sinclair station.

Of course, this was ten years ago, before Sinclair owned it. But if it's at all like it was, you're right - I did a dozen jobs for minimum wage back then. It was my first job in broadcasting, and even though it was a fundie station, I enjoyed the work.

Now the station is ideologically my enemy. Ironic, eh?

[Mister K]

10. For those whom have not emailed Sinclair....

You might want to tell a little lie like that you are a Bush supporter and that the President does not need this type of negative media coverage and outcry from the public and frankly that you are disgusted at this type of media bias.

Just a suggestion mind you....

[SpiralHawk]

25. We don't need no steenkin lies, big or small

All we need is the truth. Tell it plain and straight.

Leave the lying to BushCo.

Lies just add confusion, and smear what is valid and important.

[Robbien]

12. Email Cobbs and asked what he is going to do. . . link provided

http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/copps/mail.html

Thank him for his statement and ask him what the FCC is going to do about it.

[CityHall]

13. One of *'s mistaken appointments?

He can't be too happy about this.

[Robert Oak]

15. Anybody have any details on FCC control?

Does he have enough power to get this stopped?

[Skinner]

16. Where did this come from?

Do you have a link or a source or something? Thanks.

[Mister K]

17. posted on www.drudgereport.com

[Robbien]

20. It just hit Google

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=25213

[bagnana]

19. isn't he a former FCC chairman?

I thought Powell was FCC chairman?

[Robbien]

22. He is not the chairman, he is a commissioner

his bio:

Nominated May 1, 2001; confirmed May 25, 2001; sworn in May 31, 2001. Copps served until January 2001 as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he was previously Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Basic Industries. Copps came to Washington in 1970, joining the staff of Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) and serving for over a dozen years as Chief of Staff. He has also held positions at Collins and Aikman Corporation and the American Meat Institute. Before coming to Washington, Copps was a professor of U.S. History at Loyola University of the South. Copps received a B.A. from Wofford College and earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

[realcountrymusic]

23. Cobb is a commissioner, not chairman (EOM)

It's a bipartisan commission, but under tight rethug control, just like the feckless FEC. We're not going to win with either.

RCM

[randome]

28. Copps is risking his job.

We should congratulate him for being outspoken when the deck is stacked against him.

[TaleWgnDg]

46. no, Copps is NOT risking his job by speaking out and writing his

opinion publicly. He is authorized to do this, in law. It's his job to do so if he so choses to do so.

Commissioner Copps is one of 2 Democrats on the FCC against 3 Republicans; and headed by Republican Chairman Michael Powell (Colin's kid). Copps is merely publicizing OPENLY his FCC view of the Sinclair matter. Copps has been very out-spoken since he first took one of the Commissioner's seats on the FCC.

See for yourself, do a google on: Copps FCC

[Zorra]

29. Copps stated: “This is an abuse of the public trust......"

....Sinclair, and the FCC, are taking us down a dangerous road.”

Boy, howdy, is this ever an abuse of the public trust and a dangerous road.

We are seeing the maturity of fascist totalitarianism in our country blooming right before our eyes. Make no mistake, the RW republican party is engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow our democratic system of government through any means possible.

Please, boycott all Sinclair stations, and also boycott every Sinclair sponsor. Let these sponsors know why you are boycotting.

[Mister K]

30. Related article from Ari Berman / The Nation

Sinclair Broadcasting: 'Attackumentary' = News
By Ari Berman
The Nation

Monday 11 October 2004

Federal election law prohibits public corporations and labor unions from airing "electioneering communication" sixty days before an election. But Sinclair dubs the anti-Kerry attackumentary "news content."

Republicans must really be feeling desperate. The GOP-coddling Sinclair Broadcasting Group -- whose sixty-four stations reach 25 percent of the national television audience -- is forcing its local stations to run an anti-Kerry propaganda film a week before the November 2 election, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. The documentary Stolen Honor, produced by former Tom Ridge stooge Carlton Sherwood, and airing between October 21 and 24, accuses Kerry of actually prolonging the war in Vietnam as a result of his antiwar activism.

Sinclair's stations include Fox, ABC, CBS, WB and UPN, fourteen of which air in crucial swing states. Federal election law prohibits public corporations and labor unions from airing "electioneering communication" sixty days before an election. But Sinclair dubs the anti-Kerry attackumentary "news content."

A cursory look at Sinclair's recent record shows which side the broadcasting company is on. This is the same Sinclair Broadcasting Group who last April cried wolf over an attempt to "influence public opinion" by forbidding its seven ABC affiliates from airing a Nightline special devoted to the soldiers killed in Iraq.

The same Sinclair who gave $66,000 to the Republican Party in 2004.

The same Sinclair who required weather men to read a statement supporting President Bush's war on terror in 2001.

The same Sinclair who prevented a Madison, Wisconsin Fox affiliate from airing an advertisement by the Democratic National Committee last July.

The same Sinclair who today forces local stations against their will to run a daily "commentary" segment by its corporate spokesman which calls the French "cheese eating surrender monkeys," and antiwar Congressman "unpatriotic politicians who hate our military."

You get the picture. Can you imagine the response from the right if CBS pre-empted local programming in late October to show Fahrenheit 9/11?

George W. Bush can't win this election based on ideas. So Karl Rove and his corporate media cronies concoct lies and distortions about Kerry's past. David Brock of Media Matters for America has sent a letter to Sinclair CEO David Smith urging him to scrap its plans. Email Smith ([email protected]) yourself and sign the petition to be delivered to Sinclair and the FCC on October 15.

[Blue Gardener]

36. Thanks for the link

Emails sent to Sinclair and the FCC.

[Mixxster]

37. Do you have a link for this? n/t

[Mister K]

44. link attached....

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/101304X.shtml

[Supersedeas]

32. Indictment of Sinclair and Michael Powell (gutsy statement)

[KoKo]

34. Copps came to NC to have open hearings defying Michael Powell & Repugs

who didn't want hearings on Media Deregulation. He's definitely a good guy who has been handed a Commission that's 3 Repugs to 2 Dems..

[Philosophy]

39. Making a play for Powell's job after Kerry is elected

Smart guy.

[gemini62167]

35. Well, Write or Call the FCC and Demand Action

Whether it is fruitless or not, I have just emailed all of the biggies at the FCC to express my outrage, demand action, and thank Mr. Copps for his statement. It's very simple, just go to the contact section of the FCC website which is: http://www.fcc.gov/contacts.html

Maybe if enough people complain, they're get the notion that we really are pissed.

Gemini

[fugue]

40. A sudden thought . . .

How about suggesting to the local stations that they "experience technical difficulties" for a couple hours that night?

[missjudy6]

41. PFAW

has a petition to sign as well.
www.pfaw.org

Does anyone have a list of sponsors for this travesty?
(for boycotting purposes)

[tom_paine]

42. A dangerous road

My God, one we've been on for four years since the Old Republic died!

It is rapidly becoming obvious to more and more every day.

Just as it did in the 30s. Let us hope we are more successful than they were in opposing it.

[symbolman]

47. Right on Mr Copps!

My latest flash work "Our Media is Broken" - a good resource for going after Sinclair Broadcast Group.

All the links are clickable and will help with this cause, link this if you would please or pass it around, the more people that get it the more damage we can do to those bastards!

Tell everyone to turn up those speakers and we'll get the word out with MEDIA :)

http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/staticpages/index.php?page=20041013042650709

[henslee]

48. Got a lame JetBlue response but fired a sizzler right back! Check it out.

Hate to brag but I think I nailed it -- And I had no idea they were also Presidential debate sponsors! Here's my letter followed by theirs.

Joni Geurts
Supervisor Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways

Ms. Guerts,

Thanks for your reply regarding Sinclair Broadcasting. I'm disappointed but not surprised it. My feelings are probably similar to those experienced by the thousands of other emailers, snail-mailers and faxers who have flooding "Sinclair" sponsors with protest letters and who have also received polite but disappointing responses. With due respect, your reply just seems like lip service and here's why. l

Skip to the part of your reply (below) that reads "JetBlue does not endorse any one specific candidate but is pleased to be able to assist endeavors that promote free speech though education and public debates". If JetBlue is as ethically minded as you claim, they would immediately add the line:"JetBlue will not doing business with those that stifle free speech" to this statement. And they would also immediately pull all advertising dollars from Sinclair. Why? Because stifling free speech is exactly what Sinclair doing by ordering affiliates to air an anti-Kerry smear documentary right before the election. And by permitting the flow of its advertising dollars to Sinclair, JetBlue is not only supporting one candidate over another but they are, at least symbolically, an accomplice.

Though Sinclair may not have been charged yet, some experts are calling this act criminal. The DNC has already filed a suit with the FEC. FCC commissioner Michael Copps issued statement in which he called Sinclair's actions "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."

Furthermore, the fact that JetBlue is actually a corporate sponsor of these Presidential debates makes their flow of advertising dollars to Sinclair Broadcasting seem totally hypocritical. How many other debate sponsors are also Sinclair advertisers?

I realize JetBlue didn't ask to be in the middle of this unprecedented controversy-- one that seems to change daily. But like it or not, they are smack in the middle of it. And as they deal with it, I hope they consider some things that never change daily. Fairness, Integrity, Public Trust, Community and Accountability. And I really don't blame JetBlue for their inaction. This is unchartered territory for all of us.

One last thing. Do you realize what a public relations coup it would be to be the first major Sinclair advertiser to take a firm ethical stand on this issue? Hundreds of thousands of Americans and citizens of the world would embrace your your company's willingness to stand up for fairness -- to stand up for what is right. The media exposure e would be huge. I hope you guys step up to the plate. Democracy could use a friend.

Thanks again for this chance my thoughts with you.

Yours Truly,

XXXXXXX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear JetBlue <[email protected]> wrote:

Hello XXXXXX,

Thank you for your email expressing your feelings. JetBlue is one of several sponsors, along with America's Charities, Anheuser-Busch Companies, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sheldon S. Cohen -Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, Continental Airlines, Discovery Channel, EDS, and The Kovler Fund to
sponsor the presidential debates through the commission on presidential debates.

The following information comes from the website of the commission itself: "The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners. Its primary purpose is to sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential
candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates. The organization, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation, sponsored all the presidential debatesin 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000.

To meet its ongoing goal of educating voters, the CPD is engaged in various activities beyond producing and sponsoring the presidential debates. Its staff prepares educational materials and conducts research to improve the quality of debates. Further, the CPD provides technical assistance to emerging democracies and others interested in establishing debate traditions in their countries.

In recent years, the staff worked with groups from Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Namibia,Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan and the Ukraine, among others. Finally, the CPD coordinates post-debate symposia and research after each of its presidential forums (1996 Post-Debate Symposium, 1992 Post-Debate Research, 1988 Post-Debate Symposium)."

JetBlue does not endorse any one specific candidate but is pleased to be able to assist endeavors that promote free speech though education and public debates.

Sincerely,

Joni Geurts
Supervisor Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways

[coreystone]

49. RE: Shucks! I Missed the Return Phone From the FCC Representative!

On Monday, I attempted to contact the FEC (Federal Holiday), and someone answered the phone, directed me to another representative of the FEC who was completing work for an administrative period closing.

The second individual gave me the number for the FCC, Media Bureau (202-418-1440). Even though it was Monday, I called and left a message to return a call pertinent to questions I had of the Sinclair issue.

Today, I returned from work to have a message left by a representative of FCC. He was leaving shortly after having left the message, so, we're in the "Phone Tag" stages. I will be calling this individual tomorrow morning, as I will be off from work for the rest of the week. The name of the individual of the FCC that left me a message is Mark Berlin. His direct telephone number is 202-418-1423.

Anyone have any suggestions, in addition to what I am thinking of which I may courteously convey to Mr. Berlin???????

[coreystone]

51. How About Some of that Good Old DU "stick your buns out" activism...

I would really care to express myself with the best information that is available.

PLEASE! Is there anybody who would assist Me!

SOS! SOS! SOS!

:-)

:kick:

[Dr Fate]

52. OHHH! A "Statement" Now we are REALLY fighting tough!!!

Say it again! Say it again! More "statements", please!!!

[coreystone]

54. Thank You Very Much For Your Response!.....

I asked for some support, for me to actively pursue the effort of combating Sinclair Broadcasting, and, I appreciate the BEST effort that you have allowed yourself to give.

Have a great night Dr. Fate!

:-)

Sorry! I don't "get into flame wars"! I guess I will deal it on my own.

Again, thank you so much for your well though out response!

Yours,

coreystone

:loveya:

[Dr Fate]

56. I was not responding to you.

Follow the arrows- I never even read your post.

I was responding to the actions of this commissioner.