FCC Backs Off Study Of News Organizations. What do you think?
Faced with an outcry, the Federal Communications Commission’s chairman said Thursday that he would amend the effort — intended to assess whether the news media were meeting the public’s “critical information needs” — by removing questions that critics had deemed invasive.
The FCC last year proposed an analysis of news content from newspapers, Web sites and radio and TV stations. The agency said it wanted to assess the coverage of eight “critical information” subjects, including public health, politics, transportation, the environment and “economic opportunities.”
As the survey was originally designed, government researchers would have asked reporters, anchors and news managers at as many as 280 news organizations to describe their outlet’s “news philosophy” and about how they selected stories.
Among the questions the FCC proposed asking journalists: “Have you ever suggested coverage of what you consider a story with critical information for your [viewers, listeners or readers] that was rejected by management?” And: “What was the reason given for the decision?”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/proposed-fcc-study-of-news-organizations-sparks-conservative-outcry/2014/02/20/117401d8-9a71-11e3-80ac-63a8ba7f7942_story.html
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I find it scary as hell, and I'm shocked anyone here would support the federal government asking reporters and editorial staff to explain their decisions on what stories to report and presumably how they will report them - in areas like "politics." What the hell?
The new study will not ask those questions, so evidently those questions aren't central to the study - on barriers to entry in broadcast media. So why were they after this info to start with?
Makes no sense. Anyway, that's my opinion. What's yours?
| 3 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
| They SHOULD do that study! | |
3 (100%) |
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| Don't see the big deal. | |
0 (0%) |
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| I don't care. | |
0 (0%) |
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| Could be bad news. | |
0 (0%) |
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| An unwarranted and chilling intrusion on the freedom of the press. | |
0 (0%) |
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| Other. | |
0 (0%) |
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| 0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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