FCC's COPPS PUSHES FOR POLITICAL SPEECH

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: July 21, 2004 10:02:57 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] FCC's COPPS PUSHES FOR POLITICAL SPEECH
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com

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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