Citizens United Blog Posts
Senators to FCC: We Need Transparency Now
Primary season is in full swing and voters are being inundated with political advertising. Finding out who actually paid for all these ads is no easy task. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling ushered in a new era of deep-pocketed donors and gave them cover under innocuously named third-party groups and Super PACs.
But yesterday eight senators sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski in response to the agency’s effort to increase transparency for television viewers in an election year. The group expressed full support for the agency’s proposal to require TV stations to place their public and political files online.
The Public's Right to Know
In the media reform world, we often say we’re fighting for “better” media. Of course, “better” is the sort of word that begs comparison: better than what? If we’re to demand more of our local broadcasters, we need to know what’s wrong with the status quo.
Broadcasters use the public airwaves free of charge, and in return are supposed to provide programming that fulfills the news and information needs of communities. The Federal Communications Commission requires broadcasters to keep public files detailing exactly how they serve local needs. But these records are generally kept in file cabinets at local TV stations and are not easily accessible. So the pressure is on for broadcasters to put these files online in a publicly searchable database.
Iowa Kicks Off the Media's Mud Season
If you flip on a local television station and watch for an hour or so, you're likely to see at least one: a political ad that attacks a candidate for public office.
If you live in any of the "battleground states," you'll see up to 12 political ads an hour.
Viewers in Iowa fell under a barrage of these ads leading up to Tuesday's caucuses. This on-air onslaught offers the rest of us a preview of what television viewing will be like as Election Day 2012 draws closer.
Journalists: Don't Be Objective About Media Transparency
Here at Save the News, we try to shine a spotlight on the media policies that shape journalism in America — for better and for worse. The Freedom of Information Act is a key example of how media policy can have a profound impact on journalism. Congress passed it in 1966 and it went into effect in 1967 over the objections of then-President Lyndon Johnson. It has since become a fundamental tool in journalists’ toolbox for accessing government information and holding our leaders accountable.
The Federal Communications Commission is now seeking feedback on a new rule that could open up even more information to help journalists follow the money in elections and media. However, some broadcasters are lobbying hard to derail this effort at enhanced disclosure.
Broadcasters Cash in with Political Ads
Broadcasters are giddy with excitement, and it has nothing to do with a stellar fall lineup. A new report by Moody's Investors Service predicts that political advertising sales will continue to soar, breaking records in 2012 and flushing broadcasters with exorbitant revenues. And even in the face of a possible double-dip recession, broadcasters are comfortable that the money will keep rolling in.
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