Washington-based Dems attack Sinclair
The group of senators, all Democrats, asked Powell to determine whether broadcasting the documentary "represents a proper use of public airwaves or if, instead, it would violate fairness rules now in place."
"To allow a broadcasting company to air such a blatantly partisan attack in lieu of regular programming, and to classify that attack as 'news programming' as has been suggested would violate the spirit, and we think the text, of current law and regulation," they added.
Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Carl Levin (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bob Graham (D-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Harry Reid (D-NV), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). [Ed. note: We're pretty sure about Graham and Murray, but the .pdf we saw had unlabeled signatures had some handwriting issues.]
Commissioner Michael Copps also responded, writing "This is an abuse of the public trust. And it is proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its political ideology - - whether liberal or conservative. Some will undoubtedly question if this is appropriate stewardship of the public airwaves. This is the same corporation that refused to air Nightline's reading of our war dead in Iraq. It is the same corporation that short-shrifts local communities and local jobs by distance-casting news and weather from hundreds of miles away. It is a sad fact that the explicit public interest protections we once had to ensure balance continue to be weakened by the Federal Communications Commission while it allows media conglomerates to get even bigger. Sinclair, and the FCC, are taking us down a dangerous road."
Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt also weighed in, saying the licensed media is expected to help run fair elections as a license condition, one he says has been upheld repeatedly by the Supreme Court. "Sinclair has a different idea, and a wrong one in my view. If Sinclair wants to disseminate propaganda, it should buy a printing press, or create a web site. These other media have no conditions on their publication of points of view. This is the law, and it should be honored. In fact, if the FCC had any sense of its responsibility as a steward of fair elections its chairman now would express exactly what I am writing to you here."
Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
