Be The Media

US network news chiefs acknowledge evening news era over

From the Wall Street Journal, by Dow Jones Newswires:

"The presidents of the three major U.S. TV network news divisions put aside their rivalries for one day, gathering at a forum to acknowledge that the days when people patiently waited to tune into their evening newscasts have passed.

"There is an explosion in the number of news and quasi-news outlets and it goes into the Internet, it goes into broadband, streaming video, it's now on cell phones ... and those of us in network news have to recognize that," said David Westin of ABC News, which is part of The Walt Disney Co. (DIS)

"It's very different from the comfortable oligopoly that prevailed at the beginning of broadcast news, where you had networks with enormous market share," Heyward said. "I think that's to the public benefit. It puts more pressure on us to be excellent."

On Iraq, the three said that, in retrospect, they should have more aggressively questioned the Bush administration's grounds for invading Iraq in the spring of 2003.

"Simply stated, we let down the American people on weapons of mass destruction, and I sincerely regret that," Westin said."

The television toddler boom

From Multichannel News, by Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn:

"Cable networks are showing big interest in attracting the littlest viewers these days. Last summer, Cartoon Network announced that it is teaming with Warner Bros. to create a morning block for preschoolers set to launch April 1, 2005. And just last month, Comcast Corp., HIT Entertainment plc, PBS and Sesame Workshop revealed plans to launch a 24-hour preschool channel with a companion video-on-demand service. "

Public short-shrifted in digital TV transition

From TV Week, by Gloria Tristani:

"It's time to remind the FCC's Michael Powell that the public is entitled to a fair return from its airways. The public owns the airwaves and the broadcasters are trustees for the public good. Broadcasters get the exclusive free use of the public airwaves, but in exchange they must serve the public interest. The public interest is embodied in the Communications Act and in seminal Supreme Court cases. Over the years it has meant many things, but at its core, the public interest means providing local civic and electoral discourse over the public airwaves. "

Uphill fight against Sinclair

From Raleigh News & Observer, by David Ranii:

"The nonprofit group that is challenging Sinclair Broadcast Group's television broadcasting licenses in the Triangle insists it's not fighting a lost cause, even though it is extremely rare for the FCC to deny renewal of a broadcaster's license.

The petition argues that Maryland-based Sinclair has ignored its obligation to address the needs of local communities by consolidating its news programming under its "News Central" banner, providing "generic 'local news' from a centralized studio located at the company's Baltimore headquarters."

Free Press also alleges that in Asheville and in Charleston, S.C., Sinclair stations used local marketing agreements — which allow stations with different owners to share resources — to circumvent rules that limit the ownership of multiple TV stations in a single market.

Any license renewal challenge faces a steep uphill battle because the FCC is extremely reluctant to deny a license renewal, which is the regulatory equivalent of dropping an atomic bomb, said lawyer Mark Tauber, who heads the communications practice at Piper Rudnick in Washington.

But those steep odds don't necessarily mean the Free Press action is futile. If the FCC considers the evidence compelling, also has the option of imposing lesser penalties, such as a fine or a provisional license renewal that would require Sinclair to meet certain conditions. Such penalties, although not commonplace, are less rare.

Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the broadcast licenses of TV stations must be renewed every eight years. All TV licenses in the Carolinas expire Dec. 1."

Pappas hammered for election ads

From Broadcasting & Cable, by Bill McConnell:

"After beating up on Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. for the past two weeks, media activists are turning their attention to a new broadcast-group owner, California-based Pappas Telecasting Cos.

Free Press complains that Pappas is giving $325,000 worth of airtime on seven TV and two radio stations to GOP candidates in many of the Golden State’s closest legislative races. Free Press is demanding that equal treatment be given to Democrats.

The TV stations are KMPH Fox 26 and KFRE 59, Fresno and Visalia; KTNC reaching the Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and San Jose areas; KBFX Fox and KABZ, Bakersfield; KAZA, Los Angeles; and KSWT, El Centro.

The radio stations are KMPH 107.5 FM in Fresno and Visalia and KTRB 860 AM in the Stockton-Modesto areas. Pappas officials did not return phone calls seeking comment."

The Big Giveaway - do something or get nothing

The Center for Digital Democracy, MediaChannel, Media for Democracy and Common Cause today launched "The Big Giveaway" an action ad to pressure FCC Chairman Michael Powell to put the public's interests before Big Media's. Please take a look at "The Big Giveaway" and pass it on to friends and colleagues.

Lawyers to Bill O'Reilly: SHUT UP!

Bill O'Bully tried to get Mackris to SHUT UP for $2 million. Sadly for Bill, Andrea started the bidding at $60 million.

Mackris's Dad is mad as hell, he wants to challenge O'Reilly to a duel. O'Reilly, a father of 2 from Plandome, Long Island, has been told by attorneys to SHUT UP about the case.

The entire lawsuit is on TheSmokingGun, where you can read about O'Reilly's Caribbean shower fantasies, the Thailand sex show, Bill indirectly threatening Al Franken, repeated instances of sexual harassment, phone sex, vibrators, threesomes, masturbation, the loss of his virginity, sexual fantasies and the climax of one August 2004 phone conversation.

As Elaine from Seinfeld would say: "SHUT UP!"

Daily Show's Jon Stewart calls Crossfire's Tucker Carlson a DICK. News at 11

See the Video clip here, and transcript here. More from the Hollywood Reporter by Paul J. Gough:

"You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably," Stewart said. "Crossfire" co-host Tucker Carlson hit back by citing the comedian's own interview with Sen. John Kerry a couple of weeks ago. Carlson suggested Stewart shouldn't lecture them when he lobs softballs.

"You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls," Stewart replied. "

Tucker Carlson is a DICK, from the NY Times

The eternal twilight of the Sinclair mind

From AlterNet by Paul Schmelzer:

"Here’s how: in mid-September, 10 commentaries delivered on-air by Hyman in a 12-day period bashed the Democratic candidate. He accused Kerry of joining "the Navy … to avoid being drafted into the Army" and of "a lifetime of supporting communist forces opposed to the U.S."

Then there’s the fact that nearly 90 percent of the $2.3 million in political contributions made by Sinclair and its executives within the last eight years went to Republicans (including 97 percent of the nearly $68,000 donated this cycle alone).

And, oh yeah, the company first planned to pre-empt regular programming on all 62 of its stations to air an anti-Kerry film days before the presidential election – during primetime, without commercials, and without the opportunity for an equal response by Kerry or his supporters. "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal" brands Kerry as a traitor and a "willing accomplice" of the enemy for his activism against the Vietnam War. "

Picket Sinclair's KOVR in Sacramento

Please join us in picketing KOVR - Channel 13 in West Sacramento CA on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, FROM 1:00 TO 8:30 P.M.

KOVR - Channel 13 is the California affiliate of the Sinclair Broadcasting Company, which will broadcast a character assassination of John Kerry, "Stolen Honor," as a "documentary" on that date at 7 p.m. without offering equal time to opposing points of view.

KOVR - Channel 13 is located at 2713 Kovr Drive in West Sacramento CA 95605 (telephone 916 374-1313). Take US Interstate 80 to the Reed Ave. exit in West Sacramento; drive east on Reed Ave.; turn north on Riverpoint Dr; turn east on Kovr Dr.

Bring your picket signs and lots of good humor. If you can, please offer transportation to your friends who would like to go.