Obama to “put his own stamp” on FCC.

[Life Long Dem]

November 12, 2008


Obama to “put his own stamp” on FCC.

Transition team co-chair John Podesta won't, however, speculate on who may be selected as the new FCC chair. Over the next several days the agency’s future policy and personnel direction will be assessed. NAB chief David Rehr has sent the President-elect a letter congratulating him and highlighting the role played by radio.

http://www.insideradio.com/pdheadlines.asp?phid=554664&PT=Today%27s+Top+Stories

[mwb970]

1. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! HE'S GOING TO SHUT RUSH DOWN!

FIRST HE TAKES OUR GUNS THEN HE SILENCES OUR VOICES!!!!! THIS IS TYRANY!!!! THIS IS NAZI!!!! WE MUST

...oh, wha? Um, sorry, I just got back from browsing FreeRepublic and this was the first post I saw here. I'm OK now.

[Life Long Dem]

2. Maybe you should stay away from freeper land?

:think:

[mwb970]

5. You're right, but somehow I just can't resist. Especially since we won.

I guess I'm like those DUers who watch Morning Joke or WJ and post here in great outrage about how horrible and stupid the show was - and then watch it again the next day!

I've always been fascinated with the human tendency to form groups that drift away from objective reality in one way or another. Jonestown, Manson, end-of-the-world cults, the Republican Party, FreeRepublic - for some reason, the farther from reality these groups get, the more interesting I find them. Maybe I'm the one who needs help?

[backscatter712]

8. Yeah, I watch Morning Joe, and listen to the wingnuts on right-wing radio sometimes.

I just can't take them very seriously anymore. I can either scream at them, or I can laugh at them. I choose to laugh at them.

[R. P. McMurphy]

21. You got me all stirred up and let me down. You're NAZIERIES!!!

:rofl: (NAZIERIES = not serious) Sorry. I can't resist bad jokes.

[AspenRose]

3. Oooooh. Wonder what THAT means.

*cackle*

It's delicious, I can't stand it! GOBAMA!

[Renew Deal]

4. Put Howard Stern in charge

That would be hilarious.

[gmoney]

10. since George Carlin is unavailable...

isn't the panel 3 members? How about Chris Rock and Larry Flynt for the other two spots?

[onenote]

6. it means he's going to have the opportunity to replace virtually all of the FCC members in his first

year in office.

The current line-up, with dates their terms end, is as follows:

Deborah Tate (R): term ends when Congress adjourns next month
Jonathan Adelstein(D): term ends (a) when a replacement is confirmed; (b) he is confirmed for a new term; or (c) when Congress adjourns in December 2009
Robert McDowell (R): term ends June 30, 2009
Michael Copps (D): term ends June 30, 2010
Chairman Kevin Martin (R): term ends June 30, 2011.

Tate is done. Although Martin could stay on (as a commissioner, not as chairman), he will resign in January. THat's two seats that Obama can immediately fill, one with a Democrat, one with a repub.
Copps, as the senior Democrat on the FCC probably will be named "acting chairman" upon Martin's resignation. When Obama names a full-time chairman, rumor is that Copps will agree to step down, giving Obama another Democratic slot to fill (I'm not willing to bet on this, but its the rumor).
Adelstein, who has ties to Daschle, probably could get re-appointed, but rumor is that he's angling for a different job. Opening number four.

And when McDowell's term is up at the end of June, Obama may decide not to reappoint him and instead go with a republican of his own choosing.

So by mid-summer, you could, in theory, have an entirely new FCC in place.

[FrenchieCat]

7. A new FCC by mid-summer! Now that is Change I can believe in!

[Coexist]

11. the country is changing for the better

it really does feel like our long national nightmare is over.

[NorthCarolina]

9. Can a Dem FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, or would that require Congressional Vote?

Just wondering.....

[onenote]

12. the FCC could reinstate it but it would face a lot of obstacles

First, the proceeding to reinstate it would take some time, since the FCC would need/want to establish the most comprehensive factual record to justify its reimposition possible. When an agency reverses itself, it has to explain its reversal and in this case, there are constitutional concerns to address as well. During that process, the repubs will launch a massive campaign to block the FCC from acting and a lot of blue dogs and even some progressive Democrats may actually support that effort. Even if Congress doesn't block the FCC, they may put enough heat on the agency to cause the FCC to pull away from an actual rulemaking and instead institute a "study" or something like that.

Even if a new rule is adopted, it will be immediately challenged in court and because of the first amendment ramifications, it is highly likely that the implementation of the rule would be stayed by the courts pending their consideration of the challenge, which could go all the way to the Supreme Court (taking a couple of years in the process).

In other words, don't hold your breath.

[Renew Deal]

20. And break up media consolidation

Media consolidation is the other part of the problem.

[Lex]

13. My wish is that channels who proclaim to be "NEWS" channels can't

be partisan hack channels.

[onenote]

16. you're going to be disappointed on that one

[Lex]

17. big deal

same as it ever was

[okieinpain]

14. to me this is one of the most important jobs. if we can clear up

the information grab that the repugs have on the united states people might start to get real information instead of britney spears underwear.

[Max_powers94]

15. nudity after midnight Obama :)

[Life Long Dem]

23. I'm thinking something big here with FCC!

No pun intended though!

[racaulk]

18. "Take a tip, take a lesson, you'll never win by messin'...

...with the fellas at the freakin' FCC."



Every time I hear about the FCC, I'm reminded of this Family Guy bit. :rofl:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

19. Cinemax for everybody! Who's with me? *****crickets**** nt

[gmudem]

22. How about we just get rid of the FCC altogether?

That would make me happy.