Re: WNNW on late (Was Re: WMVU AM 900 Nashua NHon late)

[Dan Strassberg <dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

At 12:11 PM 5/10/98 -0400, you wrote:

>        Another possibility is that the FCC is changing its attitude a
>little. An FCC staff member said to me in one of my phone calls with them
>that the inspections office on the domestic side has a new chief somewhere
>up the organizational chart within the past year who wants more
>enforcement. This conversation had to do with my ballistic missile-like
>behavior last fall when WBGS, Point Pleasant, W.Va., was interfering with
>WBZ. I also complained formally about that. The last I heard was a phone
>call around February asking if I had heard the interference lately (no) and
>saying they were going to inspect the station. That was the call where the
>gentleman made the statement about how happy he was that the inspections
>office actually was being given a budget and travel expenses to -- hold
>onto your seat now -- inspect broadcasting stations. Whoa. Wonders never
>cease. <sarcasm off>.
>
A friend of a friend knows somebody in the inspections division of the FCC.
Reportedly, this FCC employee told this friend of a friend that since WRHC
is owned by Cuban expatriates who live in Florida, the FCC would not touch
the station. Every four years in the presidential election, Florida is a key
"swing" state. Lots of electoral votes and, usually, only a few thousand
votes separate the Democrats and Republicans. If the FCC were to make
trouble for WRHC, since the FCC is part of the executive branch, the
enforcement action could cost the Democrats a shot at the presidency in
2000. Therefore, according to this report, WRHC can operate any way it pleases.

What amazes me is, if the Times can verify the accuracy of this accusation,
why it hasn't brought the situation up in the newspaper. In recent years,
the Times has tended to lean Democrat more often than Republican, but that
hasn't stopped the Times from climbing on Clinton's case big time. The fact
that the newspaper has said nothing perhaps indicates that the report is
bogus. Or it could mean that the Times feels that stirring up the pot on
this particular issue is more likely to make matters worse than improve them.

- -------------------------------
Dan Strassberg (Note: Address is CASE SENSITIVE!)
ALL _LOWER_ CASE!!!--> dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net
(617) 558-4205; Fax (617) 928-4205

------------------------------