[net.tv] Proposed Broadcast Rules Changes

rjr@mgweed.UUCP (11/22/83)

    The Nov. 21 issue of TIME Magazine has an  article  about  changes
    that  FCC Chairman Mark Fowler would like to make in the Broadcast
    industry.  He has already asked Congress to  repeal  the  Fairness
    Doctrine.

    Fowler would also like to eliminate the  requirement  for  "public
    service  programs".  He says " let the marketplace decide." Fowler
    wants to end financial restrictions on how  stations  do  business
    and  strip away Government control of program content. He wants to
    remove the rule that prevents a company from owning  more  than  7
    stations,  end the 16 minute per hour restrictions on commercials,
    and remove requirements for nonentertainment items like  news  and
    educational programming.

    "Fowler's goal is to free broadcasters  from  nearly  all  of  the
    thousands of FCC rules, policies and doctrines requiring that 'the
    public interest be served'. He rejects the fundamental  FCC  tenet
    that   broadcasters  must  demonstrate  social  responsibility  in
    exchange for using public air waves."


    I wonder how this will affect broadcasting in the U.S.

    mgweed!rjr

wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (11/23/83)

I find that the proposals to deregulate the broadcast industry
very interesting.  It appears to me that this could open up
a whole new perspective on how the media reacts to the 
consumer.  Cable tv would probably benefit most from this
idea in that they would begin to tailor their programming
to even more areas of interest.  The Networks would probably
narrow their views and broadcasting bias to suit their own
tastes.  I can see it all now.  NBC will change their name to
the Leftist Broadcasting Company (LBC), CBS will become the
Conservative Broadcasting Company (with apologies North of the
border - CBC), and ABC will be the Doomsday and Sports Broadcasting
Company (DSBC).  They will each shuffle their programming around
according to their new images.  Poor CBC will have to hire a
bunch of new people with conservative views to make up for
the current lack of same on all networks.

LBC will have an overabundance of newscasters, all fighting
for the top spot by sabotaging each others hair pieces and
makeup jars.  CBC will have Jerry Falwell and Bill Buckley
reading the National news behind rose colored glasses.  DSBC
will run sports events and disaster movies, one behind the other.
The cable networks will further narrow their sights on segments
of the population until there will be  channels that cater to
groups such as wrestling match promoters, 
Eastern Ukrainian Music Critics, and the Delaware Chicken
Sexer's Association. 

It will be just great.  When all of this comes about, we will
truely be able to choose what we want to watch instead of
wading through someone else's drivel.  We would only have to
turn to our political point of view station to feel secure
in our beliefs.  Of course, Congress would have to limit
the number of viewers on the DSBC network as that would
probably be where everyone would end up.  I can hardly wait.

			from the much maligned
			T. C. Wheeler