Jim Becka

• Radio & Television Broadcaster Since 1973.• Prepared two applications

(successfully) to the FCC for radio station license renewals.

There is a movement that wants to drive broadcasters like Rush

Limbaugh off the air.

Media Problems

• Radio & Television frequencies (at one time) were public property.

• Modern Radio & Television frequencies are controlled by a small group of corporations.

• News sources, such as MSNBC primarily focus on one side of a controversial issue.

Radio/TV are regulated by the Federal Communications

Commission (FCC).

In 1973 (When I began my radio career):

• Broadcast Radio Stations provided news. Houston Station turned down my news story.

• Broadcast Radio Stations provided news.

•Broadcast stations provided public affairs programs.

• Broadcast Radio Stations provided news.• Broadcast stations provided public affairs

programs.

• Broadcast radio stations had to conduct public surveys and apply for licenses more frequently (Radio & Television station frequencies were considered public property).

Why might this be a problem?

Currently: Clear Channel has become the largest owner of radio stations

60% of Houston radio stations owned by Clear Channel.

What Happened?

• 1981• - Longer license periods likely make TV stations less

responsive to its viewers• - Ownership rules are relaxed, Large Corporations hole

most radio/TV broadcast channels.• - License renewals are reduced from a detailed inquiry

about how a station served the public interest to a 5-question application (the "post-card renewal" process).

• 2003 – FCC further loosened rules over the objections of 99% of speakers at public meeting.

Radio & Television

• Less responsible to the public.• Controlled by big business.

Fairness Doctrine

• Until 1987, broadcasters were required to present both sides of controversial topics.

Problems of Returning to Fairness Doctrine

• Supreme Court would probably rule Fairness Doctrine unconstitutional.

• Broadcast corporations have a strong lobby.• Many radio talk shows, such as Rush

Limbaugh, would probably disappear.

How should journalists function.

• Though journalists are not under a legal obligation to present both sides of news, they should consider it their ethical responsibility to present both sides.

• Try and be “fair and balanced”.

Letters/Comments• Everyone in the world who owns a

computer is now either a reporter or potential reporter. The chance of one side of a political debate being denied so-called “equal” access to the news media has been greatly diminished. It seems doubtful that another government bureaucracy is needed to try to make radio and TV states give equal time to all viewpoints.

Letters/Comments

• I believe that someone should be held accountable for news items that are slanderous. My school district last week was portrayed on a local news agency to have had an employee mistreat a student. The story had no basis for truth, but it did not keep a local news agency from running it on their 10:00 pm broadcast……. More

Letter…..Continued

• ……The news channel acted solely on what the parent said. This and other incidents have driven me from watching the news. I have come to the conclusion that news is basically sensationalism and there is very little real news being reported…….

District School Administrator