Nonprofit groups seeking more broadcaster disclosure had some criticism for proposals from...
Nonprofit groups seeking more broadcaster disclosure had some criticism for proposals from seven TV station owners on what categories of local programming they should report quarterly to the FCC as having aired (CD Jan 31 p7). The Public Interest Public…
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Airwaves Coalition (PIPAC) said the proposal for a replacement to the never-implemented Form 355 has some “suggestions” that “would be extremely problematic if adopted.” The three categories of local content the companies proposed “would not provide information that is meaningful to the public” and shouldn’t be substituted by the commission for the coalition’s proposal, the group said Friday. The notice of inquiry on the new form largely reflected suggestions by the coalition, whose members include Common Cause, Free Press and the New America Foundation. “The PIPAC proposal would require fewer such judgments because it would require a great deal less reporting,” the group said in a filing in docket 11-189 (http://xrl.us/bmsya3). In earlier comments in that docket (http://xrl.us/bmsyat), Barrington Broadcasting, Belo Corp., Gannett, Washington Post Co.’s TV unit and three others sought categories for news; local news and other content of local interest; and electoral programs. Putting local programs into more than one category if they fit “would make it impossible to determine the overall quantity of programming addressing local issues,” the coalition said. The FCC is expected to adopt an order requiring online public files from TV stations, and is working on a rulemaking notice about a new Form 355. (See story in this issue.)