LAT: FCC: Tonight Show "Not Motivated By Partisan Purposes"

[DeepModem Mom]

FCC: Tonight Show 'Not Motivated By Partisan Purposes'


(Paul Drinkwater / AP)

The Federal Communications Commission has turned down state Treasurer Phil Angelides' request to receive 15 minutes and 41 seconds of airtime on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on the program. The commission ruled that the show can be considered a legitimate news program, and therefore is not subject to the equal-time rule for candidates. The FCC said:

"We find that the news interview portions of 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' meet the criteria for exemption as a bona fide news interview. The program...content and participants are based on the producers' independent news judgment as to the participant's newsworthiness and not motivated by partisan purposes. The fact that many interviews on the program concern entertainment is irrelevant.

"We note that 'Entertainment Tonight' reports and airs commentary regarding current events and stories concerning various aspects of the entertainment industry and was nonetheless found to qualify as a bona fide newscast. Similarly, 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' often interviews individuals, including many from the entertainment industry, regarding current events, including entertainment and political news."

Angelides spokesman Steve Maviglio replied, "We are disappointed but not surprised that the Bush-controlled FCC has made a political decision over the use of our public airwaves. The commission's tortured decision to try to certify Jay Leno as a modern day Walter Cronkite is more laughable than one of his monologues."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/politicalmuscle/2006/10/fcc_tonight_sho.html

[nickinSTL]

1. The Tonight Show is now a NEWS SHOW?

:wtf:

Letterman ought to offer equal time to Angelides, IMO.

[rkc3]

2. It's not funny, therefore it must be news.

[crikkett]

10. BWA hahaha

:spray:

you got me.

[rinsd]

6. As is the Daily Show and Howard Stern (nt)

[anotherdrew]

3. I totally HATE leno, that sell-out piece of shit stopped being funny 20 years ago

[BootinUp]

4. Same standard in effect

for the Daily Show. Its the law, doesn't mean the law is right though.

[rinsd]

5. Even Howard Stern gets treated as a new show (nt)

[Marnieworld]

9. I don't think so

When Ahnold ran the first time Howard didn't have him on the show because they discovered that it would fall under the "equal-time" rule. COnsidering that recall election had dozens of candidates it was impossible for him.

However, every Stern show ends with Robin doing "The News". It is more of a news show than Leno is. It's so obviously completely arbitrary.

[rinsd]

12. The FEC ruled that Howard was indeed a news show

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/politicalmuscle/2006/10/democrats_deman.html

He also appeared on the Tonight Show and Oprah.

Now Ahnuld's movies were not shown for about a month prior to the election on any broadcast network because of equal time.

[Marnieworld]

14. alright my bad

But I just have this vague memory of Howard complaining about it and my being happy that he wouldn't be on the show. Maybe I'm thinking of someone else. If anyone has heard his sirius show, news has never been like that!

[fooj]

7. Why don't Californians DO something about this?

Can't we make calls? Write letters?

[MrPrax]

8. Talk shows?

Talk shows by definition are seen as advertising vehicles -- it's the whole point...they exist to provide 'advertising' and exposure to the Media Industry; whether it be book publishers, movie stars with clips, sports stars with winning records, etc etc. (Esp. Leno, the guy is shamelessly anti-democratic...I won't watch him anymore)

I think the FCC is using the definition of 'news' as opposed to 'News'...but it wouldn't be the first time these GOP hacks did the bidding of their sleazy masters.

[crikkett]

11. hell NEWS shows are advertising vehicles anymore

that's why I came here in the first place - to get news.

[rinsd]

13. You want the Daily Show to start equal time?