Re: Local Political Coverage

["Dan Billings" <dib9@gwi.net>]

You can't blame a station with a full log for not taking local political
ads.  The perverse federal regulations require stations to sell spots at the
lowest unit rate to all candidates in a race if they sell spots to any
candidate in that race.  If a station has a full log, they could end up
having political spots crowd out spots from higher paying and more long-term
customers.

Federal law requires stations to sell time to candidates for federal office,
but not candidates for state and local office.

I've run for office and managed campaigns for office and bought thousands of
dollars in radio and TV ads for candidates over the years and IMHO the
lowest unit rate rules is one of the biggest scams the politicians have
going.  I know stations are supposed to use the public airways to serve the
public interest but does anyone think political ads are meant to serve the
public interest?

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine