Trump v Broadcast Licenses

[jazzflower92]

The FCC continually determines for each broadcast licensee whether that licensee is operating in the "public interest". That is a big part of the FCC's job.

The thing is he's only doing this in the interest of his own image, instead of the good of the country.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

But of course He does -- Donald's decisions are not to be questioned.

He does become unhinged whenever he's criticized and he doesn't like his totalitarian authority to be questioned or challenged either. It's as if he wants total obedience to his totalitarian regime.

 

[TLK Valentine]

The FCC continually determines for each broadcast licensee whether that licensee is operating in the "public interest". That is a big part of the FCC's job.

And questioning Donald is not.

 

[LoAmmi]

If you support this, then you get to shut your mouth if the next Democrat shuts down right-wing talk radio.

 

[Halbhh]

Trump Threatens NBC License

President Donald Trump denied ever calling for a bigger U.S. nuclear arsenal and questioned whether FCC licenses should be taken from NBC television stations after the network published a story on Wednesday saying he had done so in a meeting with military and security officials.

“It’s frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write and people should want to look into it,” Trump told reporters as he met at the White House with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trump’s denial was backed up by a statement by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. “Recent reports that the President called for an increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal are absolutely false,” Mattis said. “This kind of erroneous reporting is irresponsible.”​

Just to set the record straight, broadcasters are required to operate "in the public interest". According to reports I've read, NBC is licensed to operate 28 television stations, mostly in the largest markets in the country.

About 50 years ago the FCC revoked the license of the most watched television station in Mississippi for political reasons. The FCC cited the reason as "public interest" of course but it was political and the license was immediately re-issued to a group with strong Democrat political affiliations.

Curiously, the station which had its license revoked was the NBC affiliate.

Democrats have since that time repeatedly attacked talk-radio stations and had success doing so. Trump would seem to have a valid argument that "lies" broadcast over FCC regulated airwaves are hardly in the public interest. While broadcasters certainly have 1st amendment rights, the 1st amendment does not guarantee them license renewal. Just the way it is. The history in the country is that broadcasters do lose their licenses when they fail to operate "in the public interest".

In a key way, this is all a...meaningless tempest. Because this mortal life is temporary, and nations here on Earth are temporary, and even this Earth is temporary! It will be replaced(!) with a new Earth. The problem with these distractions, the exact schemes of even the enemy isn't important in a way, because to avoid the enemy's snares we have to have Christ, and nothing else will work! It won't work even to "make American great" or better. Not even that helps us!. Much bigger issues are at hand than mere politics, and even if the next war starts in 15 months or 150 doesn't matter, not ultimately, not in the end. This life is temporary, and big wars will happen before the end. Even the winning that war for our nation won't save anyone in the ultimate way! Not truly, not in the way that matters. Sure, let's be ready as a nation, but....that's not really the answer.

'Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'

 

[Christie insb]

As I posted earlier, Democrats have a history of attacking broadcasters they disagree with ... and of getting licenses revoked.

So this apparently happened once, fifty years ago, and you see this as a pattern? And we do not know why the station had its license removed, but I suspect there were reasons that even Republicans would think were justified.

 

[Christie insb]

Remember when Obama repeatedly attacked Fox News?

I don't recall him ever threatening to "shut them down."

 

[NightHawkeye]

So this apparently happened once, fifty years ago, and you see this as a pattern? And we do not know why the station had its license removed, but I suspect there were reasons that even Republicans would think were justified.

Incorrect.

The FCC routinely revokes broadcast licenses. The following link documents 32 broadcast license revocations and alludes to there being many more.

How to lose your station’s FCC license

Our review of the Commission’s revocation actions over the past 75 years has enabled us to compile a sure-fire list of ways for a radio or television station to lose its license. Regardless of your take on the composition of the Commission and its contemporary sociopolitical agenda, we offer a money-back guarantee that any of the following activities will earn the dreaded result: revocation.
​

One might note that "LYING" figures prominently into documented revocations.

 

[Christie insb]

Incorrect.

The FCC routinely revokes broadcast licenses. The following link documents 32 broadcast license revocations and alludes to there being many more.

How to lose your station’s FCC license

Our review of the Commission’s revocation actions over the past 75 years has enabled us to compile a sure-fire list of ways for a radio or television station to lose its license. Regardless of your take on the composition of the Commission and its contemporary sociopolitical agenda, we offer a money-back guarantee that any of the following activities will earn the dreaded result: revocation.
​

One might note that "LYING" figures prominently into documented revocations.

Their reporting may rise to the level of poor journalism for not fact-checking more thoroughly, but it is not lying.
My comment referred to a station shut down for ostensibly political reasons. I referenced it in my previous post.

 

[cow451]

Please Mr. Trump. Please please please please tell the FCC to revoke the license of one NBC station for reporting negatively about you. Please, I beg you, just one.

 

[Go Braves]

Isn't NBC the network that Trump was on for years as a game show host?

 

[GoldenBoy89]

The FCC continually determines for each broadcast licensee whether that licensee is operating in the "public interest". That is a big part of the FCC's job.

The other big part is being a nanny that makes sure Americans don't see an occasional boob or hear a naughty word on television.

I thought conservatives hated that kind of pointless PC nonsense from the feds.

 

[Christie insb]

The other big part is being a nanny that makes sure Americans don't see an occasional boob or hear a naughty word on television.

I thought conservatives hated that kind of pointless PC nonsense from the feds.

Libertarians do. Some people are conservative in the sense that they want traditional morality upheld, which I believe is more typical of conservatives.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Isn't NBC the network that Trump was on for years as a game show host?

... and also the network which "Fired" him.

 

[NightHawkeye]

The other big part is being a nanny that makes sure Americans don't see an occasional boob or hear a naughty word on television.

Thanks for highlighting the difference between over-the-air broadcast networks, whose shows are in fact regulated by the government, and the cable-only networks which retain an absolute 1st amendment right.

 

[Go Braves]

... and also the network which "Fired" him.

LOL. They used his own little tag line on him???

 

[jardiniere]

Remember when Obama repeatedly attacked Fox News?

I do! Strangely enough, I don't recall him threatening to shut them down. And how do we know that NBC isn't acting in the public interest, in the first place? Seriously, what has NBC done that is enough to consider yanking some affiliate's license?

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Thanks for highlighting the difference between over-the-air broadcast networks, whose shows are in fact regulated by the government, and the cable-only networks which retain an absolute 1st amendment right.

I don't understand the point of the selective censorship they're employing.

 

[Christie insb]

I think it's because the public is declared the owner of the airwaves. Cable and satellite send their signal over means that they have created.

 

[lasthero]

Cable networks are not obliged to operate "in the public interest".

And who gets to decide what's 'in the public interest'? Because I can easily see how that could get turned around in a bad way.