[IP] FCC's COPPS PUSHES FOR POLITICAL SPEECH
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: July 21, 2004 10:02:57 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] FCC's COPPS PUSHES FOR POLITICAL SPEECH
Reply-To: dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
COPPS PUSHES FOR POLITICAL SPEECH
The Community-by-Community Campaign was launched on Monday by media
activists who aim to mobilizing citizens themselves to make demands on
their local TV stations to provide more political and public-interest
programming. "I read the other day that many Americans likely saw more
prime-time entertainment on a single night than they saw election
coverage during an entire campaign!" said FCC Commissioner Michael
Copps, speaking at National Press Club kick-off to the campaign. "We
need America’s broadcasters to step up to the plate and correct this
deplorable mess." The campaign is organized by the Public Interest,
Public Airwaves Coalition, comprising the United Church of Christ
Office of Communications, the Alliance for Better Campaigns, Common
Cause, MediaChannel.org and many other groups including the Benton
Foundation. "Wouldn't it be nice to see every broadcaster in this
country step up to the plate," said Commissioner Copps, "and designate
the rest of this election year as the 'Campaign for America' and devote
some truly meaningful time to it. And I don't mean just a few minutes
here and there, but time commensurate with the tough challenges that
confront every citizen in 2004. The issues are war and jobs and health
care and deficits and consumer well-being… yet those charged with using
the public airwaves for the public good can't get serious about
covering what's at stake."
Campaign organizers want local citizens groups to push station managers
into signing pledges to air a minimum of two hours per week of
candidate-centered or electoral programming during prime time in the
six weeks leading up to the November 2 elections. Citizens will be
asked to monitor whether the pledges are honored. Learn more about the
campaign at <http://www.mediafordemocracy.us/mfd/local>
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Bill McConnell]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA437461?display=Breaking+News
Full text of Commissioner Copps' remarks
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-249769A1.doc>
See Press Releases from participating organizations:
FCC Commissioners Support Community-by-Community Campaign for Better
Local Broadcasting
[SOURCE: Alliance for Better Campaigns]
<http://www.ourairwaves.org/press/release.php?ReleaseID=57>
Common Cause Asks for Real Campaign Coverage Promoting Political
Discourse
<http://www.commoncause.org/news/default.cfm?ArtID=367>
Common Cause Statement on the Launch of the Grassroots Public Interest
Obligations Campaign
<http://www.commoncause.org/news/default.cfm?ArtID=368>
Benton Foundation Chair Calls for Reality-Based Television Policy
<http://www.benton.org/press/2004/pr040719.pdf>
Archives at: <http://Wireless.Com/Dewayne-Net>
Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>
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