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

[Sid Schweiger]

>>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?<<

First, the FCC's definition of "public service," in practice, is
whatever the station says it is.

Second, I can't remember who said this, but the proposition was put
forth some years ago that whatever programming interests a substantial
number of people is per se in the public interest.  I suppose one could
make that argument, but it seems more than just a bit crass to me, since
one could use that argument to state, for example, that news concerning
Britney Spears' love life is in the public interest.

Bottom line:  As long as the FCC is unwilling and/or unable to clearly
define the term, it's open to interpretation and probably not very
enforceable.



Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Boston MA  02135-2040
Phone: 617-779-5369
Fax: 617-779-5379
E-Mail: sid@wrko.com