Facing a growing controversy around its Critical Information Needs (CIN) study, the FCC has announced that it is suspending the bulk of the study, and will not be grilling owners of media outlets about their editorial decisions.
The study was supposed to focus on “under-served communities,” but sparked major concerns when they started talking about probing the editorial decisions in newsrooms and political content of their coverage, as well as seeking to create a database of data regarding all media outlets’ coverage.
The plans sparked inevitable questions of whether the FCC intended to start pushing media into more administration-friendly coverage, particularly in editorial content, and even if they didn’t, it was fairly obvious that the program could be used in such a way.
The FCC insisted the CIN study will continue, but listing all of the objectionable things that are being removed what is left seems to be a face-saving effort to keep the dead program going in name only.
Ha, ha, ha. The little commie control freaks got caught!!!! No doubt they'll be back attacking from another direction though. Too bad for you, you little creeps.
"what is left seems to be a face-saving effort to keep the dead program going in name only."
Don't bet on it. The fundamental premise is still intact. The take-away for them is, "OK, we couldn't do it now but, the program is set. It may be "in name only" now but, the plan is in place. It's only a matter of time."
Just as all the provisions found in the Patriot Act had been proposed and rejected prior to 9-11, all that was needed was the right moment. When ObamaCare was passed Steny Hoyer accurately stated that it was a culmination of over 100 years of work by both Republicans and Democrats to control healthcare. Hoyer even invoked Teddy Roosevelt as one of the pioneers. As Janet Reno said in reply to Katie Couric when questioned about a new gun control law, "This is just a first step."
Obama really have an issue with the constitution and he wants to circumvent it by any means necessary.
Frankly, I wish we still had the Fairness doctrine. What we got now is not "free" press, but yellow journalism.
Like all other stupid, racist, and sexist plans by the government, I'm sure this one will make a comeback eventually as well.
Imagine the howls of indignation and protest had G. Bush instituted this thuggish "research" into the news media. Rachel Maddow would be hoarse from screaming fits (now that's a silver lining!).
However with Obama in charge, the usual prickly electronic media (when govt thuggishness affects them) has been very quiet. Only here at antiwar.com have most seen any reports about this supposed research project. After all, the media trusts St. Obama to do no harm. Only Fox News and the right wing radio talkers could possible be guilty of "under serving" selected groups. (We can be sure that libertarians and anti Empire folks are not among the under served…)
But due to a tiny amount of sunlight, exposing this sinister Chavista style tactic, Obama and his censors-in-waiting are backing off. I wonder how many "progressives" publicly complained about this project? Just like drones, when O does something it's okay; otherwise protesting is expected.