The FCC Jumps into the Journalism Fray

First John Kerry and then the FTC fretted about journalism and what government should do and now FCC Commissioner Michael Copps is swinging his worry beads. CNSNews.com (I hadn’t heard of it before) says Copps is circulating an internal Notification of Inquiry (a step toward rule-making) about journalism and TV hinting at requirements for stations to provide journalism in the public interest and at possible government support.

Journalism and TV: an oxymoron? Well, not always. But often. Local TV news has sucked for years – that horse is out of the barn, over the horizon, and in the glue factory already. Fluff and fires, that’s most of local news on TV. So what is Copps lamenting?

The local broadcast business is going the way of newspapers, only a bit behind and more slowly and without all the attention of self-obsessed print reporters. So what’s to protect?

Local TV news still has, amazingly, the trust of its audience. And it still makes money. So there is a business there. Too bad there’s just so little journalism there.

So I say that Copps shouldn’t be protecting the incumbents or goading them to make more of the same. If he wants to do anything, he should be encouraging new players to compete with local TV and grab some of their attention and dollars.

Scratch that. I don’t want the FCC to do anything that has anything to do with journalism, news, and speech. It’s a bad idea.

The one thing the FCC could do that would encourage more creation of content online, more audience to use it, and thus a better business model would be to get ubiquitous broadband throughout the country. That is the FCC’s job. So, Commissioner, get on with it, please.

Comments

[patriotaxe:]

If Congress/FCC bring back the Fairness Doctrine, will Fox News have to relocate to Moscow?

Journalism and television have been strangers on cable for over a decade. It would be refreshing to find a way to help keep real reporting alive at a more local level. These are the same small markets where there's been a upswing in "citizen journalism," which, at it's most immature level, couldn't be any less professional than cable "news."

Jul 15 11:39 AM

[Relayer10:]

hope you Journalists are paying very close attention to the FCC, and any attempt at controlling news. Richard Nixon attempted it during his Watergate time, because he wanted Dan Rather Walter Cronkite and the very excellent CBS news dept of 1974 to stop investigating him. Not to mention Woodward & Bernstein. Right now, a new FCC power grab is happening, and I have yet to see any of you "journalists" follow it. All you need to do is connect the dots...dig, like Woodward & Bernstein (you can't do it by phone and Google). Rep. Clyburn was the power broker that put President Obama over the top during the critical primary season- turned his back on the Clintons. President appoints Rep Cyburn's daughter to the FCC. Daughter in a position to initiate minority ownership in broadcast stations etc. Which her father oversees in Congress. Which means "unfavorable" stations could suddenly lose their license...and get taxpayer money as well. Payback to a power broker...which could diminish the ability of legit journalists.

Honest, fair, and professional journalists are fast becoming extinct. You folks need to use your training and the mediums you work in to expose the power grab. You may not realize how important your profession is to our ability to sustain our Republic. Get out from behind your computer, go interview the people trying to take your profession away from you. Be skeptical of what they say, question everything, then CHECK YOUR FACTS,,,then check them again....then write the unvarnished truth! We need you right now! I am no journalist- yet I was able to discover this potential attack on journalists by simply paying attention to who is being appointed. There is probably much much more. Why does the President appoint so many Czars instead of filling the Congressional approved positions in government? One of you could win a Pulitzer. Nixon could not walk across his lawn without a journalist questioning the motive. And the country was saved because of the light being shined on him. Now is your time again...don't drop the ball.

When any Senator or elected official wants to "help"....be very very wary. They rarely do anything that does not help their narrow interests. Start looking under the rocks and everything that elected official touches to find out why the interest. We, the non professional readers are counting on you!

Jul 15 10:32 PM

[Relayer10:]

As a side note...

NBC is absolutely not a trustworthy news source anymore...too close of ties with government officials and GE intertwinement....nor CBS. ABC provided an Obama daylong "infomercial", which forever destroys their credibity. The New York Times is so left leaning it is surprising that it just does not fall completely. La Times is even worse. I read both left and right leaners...truth can be gleaned, but you really have to work at it.

Fox leans right, but is actually the only media now openly challenging government- which is the traditional role of journalists.

I'm not sure where all that leads...but it is certainly not good for us readers. GREAT news for the government- both parties get no real challenge from anyone. Perhaps if the new professionals actually get out and ask real questions- then make the official answer them. If they refuse, call them on it. Then DIG. Think "what would Tim Russert do?"

Jul 15 10:43 PM