FCC fines Comcast $4,000--Comcast is probably still laughing

[Lobster Martini]

(LM: The FCC finally punishes a broadcaster for airing fake news without disclosure! Cool--oh wait, the fine is $4,000 and Comcast's revenue through the first two quarters of 2007 was over $15 billion. Oh well. This is from Democracy Now!)

FCC Fines Comcast $4,000 For Airing Fake News

And the Federal Communications Commission has fined Comcast $4,000 for broadcasting a fake news segment on the company's CN8 local news channel last year. Comcast aired a video news release produced by the manufacturer of a sleeping remedy without disclosing the company's ties to the video. This marks the first time the FCC has fined a broadcaster for airing a corporate public relations video as if it was an actual news segment. Last year the Center for Media and Democracy released a study that found at least 77 TV stations around the country have aired corporate-sponsored video news releases over the previous 10 months.

(Link: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/25/142232)

:banghead:

[mcscajun]

1. Was that four thousand Whole dollars? Wow.

"Hey, Ralph, cut a check out of Petty Cash, payable to the FCC!"
"What should I put on the memo line?"
"Miscellaneous."

[Lobster Martini]

2. One waiter at the Philly Elephant & Castle didn't get a tip today. The books are balanced. (n/t)

[SeattleVet]

3. You could probably find $4000 under the pillows on the couch in the break room

That's like the small change that falls down into the cracks in the floor that they don't even bother to bend over to pick up.