Nassau comes to town

[Sid Schweiger]

>>I am the last guy who would challenge WMTW or anyone else's right to broadcast liberal propaganda.<<

So if a conservative POV is broadcast, it's not propaganda?

>>I think the current equal time laws are
ridiculous.<<

There are no "equal time" laws.  What you're probably referring to is the "equal opportunity" law (47 USC 315(a)), which states that if you sell air time to one candidate for an office, you have to sell air time to all other candidates for that same office.  The law imposes no requirement for "equal time."

>>there is the issue of Clear Channel getting fined for a Howard Stern broadcast but not the other stations carrying the same program.  Does that make sense?<<

Hold your horses.  The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday (4/9) that Viacom is facing about a million and a half dollars worth of fines for the same programs they just fined Clear Channel a half-million bucks for.  Such an inquiry on the part of the FCC takes time...but don't worry, under the current witch-hunting climate, it'll happen.

>>By the way -- don't the equal time rules kick in 6 weeks before a primary and 8 weeks before an election?<<

No.  There are no "equal time" rules.  What kicks in 45 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election is the "lowest unit rate" law (47 USC 315(b)(1)), which regulates what stations may charge candidates for their ads.

Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC
WAAF-WEEI-WQSX-WRKO-WVEI
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Boston MA  02135-2040