"Truth or Consequences?"

Seventy-five years ago, when the FCC was established, the airwaves were to be licensed to those who would use them for the public benefit. It does not benefit the public when the FCC permits widespread ownership of media outlets by just a few companies. Diversity of ownership promotes diversity of thought, and America has thrived on diversity of thought for over 200 years.

Bob Wright, Chairman of NBC, authored an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal at the end of July 2003. He stated, "... it would be a disservice to their constituents for Congress to restrict business activity that has such demonstrable public benefits." What are the public benefits Mr. Wright?

Was Chairman Wright telling the truth in his op-ed piece? He also said, "But our actual national viewership during prime time, when we have the largest audience is less then 3%\212" Did Chairman Wright neglect to include in his piece that NBC reaches 100% of American viewers with their network? Was there a reason that Chairman Wright did not mention MSNBC (over 70 million subscribers), CNBC (over 80 million subscribers), Bravo (over 63 million subscribers), Telemundo, and Paxon? Is NBC denied the opportunity to reach all Americans many times over? Technically he was truthful, but it was at best an attempt to mislead the public.

Was Chairman Wright telling the truth when he went on to say, "The be all, end all of local broadcasting is forging a connection with a particular community's distinctive audience. The general Managers in charge of our stations wake up every day committed to that mission"?

The General Managers of his stations wake up concerned about ratings and profits. Period. Their stations carry the entire Network schedule, because they have no choice. It is my opinion if they service their broadcast area, but don't make enough of a profit, they will wake up unemployed. Would Mr. Wright be comfortable in telling us how often his managers preempt the NBC Network schedule in order to "connect with a particular community's distinctive audience"?

Was Chairman Wright being truthful when in 1990, before the FCC, he said, "Under the current rules, the diversity in program production that the Commission sought in 1970 is on its deathbed in 1990. Repeal of the rules will allow the networks to provide financing to independent producers\212 from both a creative and business perspective, it is in NBC's self interest to do everything we can to promote a strong independent production community"? Was Chairman Wright unaware that independent producers were thriving at that time and there were many independent companies financing program development? Time has proven that Chairman Wright was perhaps being naove, or was misleading the FCC, or simply not telling them the truth.

Misleading statements hurt our country in so many ways, and should not be tolerated in our society. It is also important, that if you don't tell the truth, you do pay the consequences. Will the FCC ever insist that Broadcasters in fact perform as they have promised? At times, honoring your commitments does hurt, but it is the proper thing to do.

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