Trump v Broadcast Licenses

[lasthero]

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

If he had, can you imagine the stink Republicans would've raised?

 

[lasthero]

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?

They dared to make Donald Trump look bad.

I'm reminded of a quote from Game of Thrones:

 

[SummerMadness]

The president is acting like a child. But at least children are justified in throwing a tantrum, their brains are still growing and developing.

 

[Goonie]

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

Your right! Clearly then the licence should be withdrawn , irrefutable evidence of them broadcasting lies!

 

[NightHawkeye]

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

God has a sense of humor.

 

[NightHawkeye]

I do! Strangely enough, I don't recall him threatening to shut them down.

Fox News is not broadcast over-the-air, hence the FCC has no authority over them.

 

[SummerMadness]

Fox News is not broadcast over-the-air, hence the FCC has no authority over them.

But you equated threats to pull a network's licenses with criticism. The president is free to criticize a broadcast network all he wants, but threatening to take away their license because you do not like what they broadcast is needless to say, problematic.

 

[TLK Valentine]

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

Making his vendetta even pettier than previously imagined.

 

[NightHawkeye]

But you equated threats to pull a network's licenses with criticism. The president is free to criticize a broadcast network all he wants, but threatening to take away their license because you do not like what they broadcast is needless to say, problematic.

I'm glad to see that so many here now agree with you.

Nevertheless, it remains true that broadcast stations are required to operate in the "public interest" ... and persistent demonstrable LYING is probably not in the best interest of the public, a matter which the FCC has made clear in past license revocations.

 

[SummerMadness]

I'm glad to see that so many here now agree with you.

Nevertheless, it remains true that broadcast stations are required to operate in the "public interest" ... and persistent demonstrable LYING is probably not in the best interest of the public, a matter which the FCC has made clear in past license revocations.

There is no demonstrable lying, which is why no moves will be taken to revoke any licenses. The sad thing about 45 is that more people are starting to see how weak he is with all his grandiose bluffing.

 

[cow451]

I'm glad to see that so many here now agree with you.

Nevertheless, it remains true that broadcast stations are required to operate in the "public interest" ... and persistent demonstrable LYING is probably not in the best interest of the public, a matter which the FCC has made clear in past license revocations.

The increase in Trump’s blustering makes me more inclined to think the NBC reporting has some basis.

 

[camille70]

Remember when Obama repeatedly attacked Fox News?

He criticized them once or twice. It just seemed like it was repeatedly because Fox News covered in a loop thereafter...

 

[Rion]

No, he shouldn't do that. That'd be akin to the stuff the IRS was pulling last time around.

 

[cow451]

No, he shouldn't do that. That'd be akin to the stuff the IRS was pulling last time around.

You mean keeping poor Mr. Trump from releasing his returns?

 

[Rion]

You mean keeping poor Mr. Trump from releasing his returns?

No, I mean targeting conservative groups. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robert...ng-president-obama-cant-blame-on-republicans/

 

[cow451]

No, I mean targeting conservative groups. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robert...ng-president-obama-cant-blame-on-republicans/

Mean old IRS. Targeted conservatives and kept poor Mr. Trump from being able to let America see his returns. Bad IRS, bad agency. Go sit in the corner until you can behave.

 

[Rion]

Mean old IRS. Targeted conservatives and kept poor Mr. Trump from being able to let America see his returns. Bad IRS, bad agency. Go sit in the corner until you can behave.

Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't sound like an angry frog if the IRS started targeting progressive organizations.

 

[DaisyDay]

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.

The FCC doesn't license networks at all - only individual stations. Some Fox stations are, in fact, broadcast, and some NBC stations are over cable, satellite and internet.

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

Really? Whose licenses were revoked exactly? TV or radio? It's behind a pay wall, so I don't know - do you?

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

One might note that or one might not - without access to the actual document - who knows?

 

[cow451]

Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't sound like an angry frog if the IRS started targeting progressive organizations.

I can’t think of one that I care much about.

 

[NightHawkeye]

No, he shouldn't do that. That'd be akin to the stuff the IRS was pulling last time around.

I agree that he shouldn't. But, he did ... and some history is on his side.

I just mostly wanted to hear folks here agree ... because it means that what Democrats have been doing for decades is wrong. Democrats were behind the "fairness doctrine" citing that as "in the public interest", thereby overtly threatening to pull the license of any station deemed not in compliance with the fairness doctrine. Democrats were behind the license revocation of WLBT-TV fifty years ago and Democrats have repeatedly attacked talk radio using the FCC with varying degrees of success.

Couldn't think of a better way to get the message across that if one doesn't want one's favored institutions attacked, then one really shouldn't attack those of others.