FCC Votes to Post TV Station Political Files Online

[alp227]

Source: B&C

The FCC voted Friday to require TV stations to publish their public files online. Those are the files that contain information about, among other things, their compliance with kids TV programming minimums, EEO files, joint sales agreements and files on political ad buys.

The commission will initially require the online political posting from TV stations affiliated with the Big Four networks in the top 50 markets --within 30 days after the rules take effect --then the rest of the stations two years after that. The other public files must be posted by all stations within six months after the rules go into effect. It will not require posting existing political file information (it must be kept for two years), only new information going forward.



Read more: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/483711-FCC_Votes_to_Post_TV_Station_Political_Files_Online.php

[Justice wanted]

1. Excellent idea BUT I do have to wonder if there is ANY connection between this story and this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014108479

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Good thinking, looks like you hit the nail on the head!

[onenote]

4. No nail. No head. No connection. None. Nada. Zilch. Zero.

Let's see. The Republicans oppose the new online public file rule. The FCC adopts it by a 2-1 vote with the repub commissioner dissenting. Grassley, a republican, gives up his hold on the president's two FCC nominees (one a republican, one a democrat) -- a hold that was triggered by Grassley's unhappiness with the "lightsquared" matter, something that has nothing to do with the public file rule proceeding and as to which the Democratic chairman of the FCC essentially caved.

So it would be interesting if someone could explain how there is a connection between the public file decision and the release of the holds on the pending nominations.

[Tunkamerica]

3. Lots of stations already have it on their website. The info is already publicly available.

http://www.fox50.com/about/public-file/WRAZ-TV-Public-File-102363089.html
http://www.wral.com/wral-tv/aboutus/page/1001311/


The rule change was inevitable. I'm surprised it took this long.