This entry is just a quick follow-up regarding media bias. In a letter on Talkingpointsmemo.com, Reed Hundt, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission stated the following:
“…since television was invented, Congress and its delegated agency, the Federal Communications Commission, together have passed laws and regulations to ensure that broadcast television stations provide reasonably accurate, balanced and fair coverage of major president and congressional candidates…The various rules are part of a tradition well known to broadcasters and honored by almost all of them. …Part of the tradition is that broadcasters do not show propaganda for any candidate.”
Of course, the stated ideal is one that is not only reasonable but honorable. The interesting thing is that this has only become an issue now that Sinclair Broadcasting has decided to show a film that could reflect negatively on Senator Kerry. I heard no such outrage during the past year when the majority of news stories, commentaries, television dramas and sitcoms have presented a one-sided, distorted, and sometimes fraudulent image of the President of the
Sinclair has as much right to show the documentary as “60 Minutes” has to devote three hours of prime time television to a series of books that condemn our President. If they choose to offer Kerry equal time, that is kind of them. I think in reality Kerry is winning the time competition hands down.
