Public interest (was: bye bye Boston's progressive talk)

[Donna Halper]

At 11:03 AM 12/16/2006, SteveOrdinetz wrote:
>Donna Halper wrote:
>
>>Ed Schultz is talking right now about how in a number of stations 
>>in markets where there is currently a severe ice storm, those 
>>stations are just broadcasting their same old syndicated shows as 
>>if nothing is happening.  Why have a license if you are not gonna 
>>serve your community?  Forget right or left wing-- let's talk 
>>public interest.  What is the FCC doing in all of this?
>
>
>Just as long as you don't pre-empt HIS syndicated show for it, right?  :-/

Oh Steve, you curmudgeon.  Big Eddie actually stopped in the midst of 
his show and had his producers call various power companies in the 
region and find out whatever he could for his audience.  His point 
was that the local hosts should be doing the same, but alas many 
stations have cut their news departments down to zero.

>Steve wrote--
>Where do you draw the line for pre-empting programming for news coverage?  F

Umm, 4 people were dead, 100 mile an hour winds, a million without 
power in one of the worst storms in 25 years.  I think that's a good 
reason to give extra coverage.