Should your business go through committees before you fire vendors?

[zulchzulu]

Poll question: Should your business go through committees before you fire vendors?

Based on some of the chat about Kerry thinking that Clear Channel was right to decide to stop having Howard Stern on some stations, I'd like to see how people who thought Kerry was wrong would vote if their business needed to make decisions on vendors?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. He was wrong to use TV time to defend ClarkChannel

You can talk "principle" all you want - Kerry's principles (market fundamentalism, no Constitutional power to regulate employment, corporate rights) are well known. So why did he jump to defend ClearChannel for quelling anti-Bush speech on the airwaves? That's what he'll use the bully pulpit for?

[wndycty]

2. He was asked a damn a question. . .

. . .this is getting really silly. The real enemy in this situation is Clear Channel (who had a right to drop Stern) and the FCC. Call them out on their hypocrisy and their agenda. What will you expect the new liberal radio network to do if they have issues with a host who grows conservative?

[sangh0]

4. Kerry answered a question?

That bastard!

[Armstead]

3. Your question makes the wrong assumption

Broadcasting is not just another business. It is not the same as a widget maker or a restaurant.

Broadcasting is -- first and foremost -- the publics information infrastructure. It is the voice of society, the electrinic town hall and Main St.

Ther biggest foolishness that has been propagated is the notionb that a media company is like any otehr business, and is entitled to the same freedom. They are not. They are trustees of a public resource.

Makes a big difference.

[sangh0]

5. Nope

Broadcasting is just another business. A regulated business.

The media, including broadcast media, have a very small legal commitment to the truth, and even less to the people. However, because they use a public resource, the frequency spectrum, they are subject to regulation. That's where our leverage comes in, IMO

[Armstead]

6. You're splitting hairs

The fact that they are using a limited public resource makes them automatically subject to much more stringent regulation than other businesses. But it is illegal to start and run a broadcasting station without a license.

I would not make the same argument about a newspaper or a magazine or a website. Anyone can start a publication or website if they can scrape together the resources, so they are more like a regular business.

[sangh0]

7. The difference

is that the broadcast media uses a public resource. The licensing requirement is justified on this basis. I specifically seperated non-broadcast media (newspapers, etc) from the broadcast media.