FCC Transition Head May Be ‘Fairness Doctrine’ Fan

Barack Obama’s purported pick to guide the transition of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) may not bode well for free expression in the Land of Liberty.

The president-elect is expected to appoint D.C. lawyer Henry Rivera as transition leader for the FCC, according to Multichannel News.

Rivera is a Democrat former commissioner who served on the FCC panel from 1981 to 1985.

Following Rivera’s resignation in 1985, President Ronald Reagan appointed Patricia Diaz Dennis, who opposed the Fairness Doctrine. The law was subsequently repealed in 1987.

The law mandates that equal time be given on broadcast airwaves to opposing political viewpoints.

As the FCC in the past was forced to admit, the Orwellian Fairness Doctrine “had the net effect of reducing rather than enhancing the discussion of controversial issues of public importance.”

After the law was repealed, talk radio became a bona fide industry.

Obama’s reported choice is no “reach across the aisle” pick. Rivera has been heralded for linking civil rights interests to communications policies.

According to the Web site of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, Rivera is Chairman of the Board. The group is “committed to promoting and preserving equal opportunity and civil rights in the mass media and telecommunications industries.”

He’s also a board member and General Counsel for the Benton Foundation, an organization that “works to ensure that media and telecommunications serve the public interest and enhance our democracy. We pursue this mission by seeking policy solutions that support the values of access, diversity and equity…,” according to its Web site.

It all sounds an awful lot like the language used by Democrats to justify the rebirth of the Fairness Doctrine, including Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Dennis Kucinich, Jeff Bingham and Louise Slaughter-all of whom are on record as being in support of the lopsided law. Slaughter actually already tried to bring it back.

As Feinstein complained to Fox News’ Chris Wallace, “In my view, talk radio tends to be one-sided. It also tends to be dwelling in hyperbole. It’s explosive. It pushes people to, I think, extreme views without a lot of information.”

Read more at Newsmax

James Hirsen, J.D., M.A. in Media Psychology, is a media analyst, teacher of mass media and entertainment law at Biola University and professor at Trinity Law School.

Wolfowitz Gets New Gig at Think Tank

So much for our gov. doing the “will of the people”

Americans’ Approval of Congress, Bush on Immigration Issue In Single Digits « St. Louis CofCC Blog

George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon’s ’08 Presidential Picks

George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon recently took time out from hawking their “Ocean”’s sequel to engage in some presidential prognostication.

Clooney told Time Magazine, “I like Barack Obama a lot. I’ve spent some time with him.”

He divulged that he “actually had that conversation with him,” revealing that he told Obama, “Look, I’ll give you whatever support you need—including staying completely away from you.”

The actor is impressed with the Illinois senator’s charisma. “When other politicians stop and listen, that’s how you know what charisma is. You can’t teach that. He walks into a room and you go, ‘That’s a leader,’ “ Clooney said.

“Actors have done a lot of damage to candidates lately,” Clooney explained. “My father ran for Congress in 2004, and it was ‘Hollywood vs. the Heartland!’ My father was Hollywood.”

Clooney’s father lost the election.

Damon jumped on the Obama bandwagon as well. “I’m an Obama guy too. I think a lot of the problems in the world would be mitigated if he were the face of our country. I haven’t ever met him or talked to him, but he’s the first person in a long time who I’ve been inspired by,” Damon said.

Pitt is whistling a different tune. He has endorsed everyone who is running. “I’m just hungry for some honesty and leadership. And I’m following them all—on all sides.”

Clooney had some unsolicited advice for a potential Republican candidate. “I’m just hoping Gingrich gets in. Come on, Newt!”

Hillary’s Hollywood Hopes

Brett Ratner just completed a cameo appearance on HBO’s hit show “Entourage.”

The show features a hip, hard partying group of guys who would likely feel at home with Dem presidential candidate Barack Obama. However, their comfort level with Hillary Clinton may be a different story.

After a successful Obama fundraising outing, which was held at trendy Hollywood nightspot Boulevard 3 and drew the likes of Jessica Biel and Taye Diggs, Hillary apparently wants a piece of the young celebrity action, too.

Ratner’s mansion in the hills will be the venue for a lower cost affair for Hillary, which is planned to appeal to a more casual crowd.

For $250 per person, $500 for the after-party inclusion and $1,000 for the bonus VIP reception treatment, you can hear Hillary at a house that at various times was inhabited by Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and James Caan.

Ratner tells Variety that the event will be “fun” and draw a crowd that may be turned off by the sort of “stuffy, kind of uptight” events fundraisers usually are.

“What is exciting is I think a lot of people are going to come and hear Hillary speak that normally wouldn’t go to a political fund-raiser,” Ratner said. “That is what is exciting about the way we are doing it. The list [of attendees] is a very interesting list.”

On the committee roster for Hillary’s event are Christina Aguilera, Penelope Cruz, Heather Graham, Eva Longoria, Jeremy Piven and Mike Myers.

Before Hillary shows up at Ratner’s fund fest, she’ll seek the serious money at a more mature affair co-hosted by Dem stalwarts Steven Spielberg and Haim Saban.

Coincidentally, on the very same night just down the road a ways at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a fundraiser will be held for former New York mayor and current Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.

On another Left Coast note, Ben Affleck recently went into a tawdry tirade while appearing on a cable talk show.

The actor, who, by the way, is seen by many in the Democratic Party as a future political candidate, was a panelist on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” HBO’s political answer to “The Jerry Springer Show.”

In response to a question about Democrats “caving in on this Iraq spending bill,” Affleck said, “These f—ing people. You know what it is? Democrats, this is the f—ing problem with them.”

He then referred to the Dems’ actions with respect to funding the war as “this f—ing giveaway.”

“The Democrats live in fear of basically, you know, being called cowards. Of looking soft on military. Of looking like p-ssies, basically. We’re afraid that somebody’s going to call us a p-ssy,” Affleck said.

“Out of a fear of being criticized, they sacrificed their core political beliefs. And they wonder why people call them f—ing weak,” he added.

In response to Affleck’s allegations, Nancy Pelosi has challenged him to a cage match.

Howard Stern Plots Against ‘American Idol’

 

Fox’s “American Idol” is in Howard Stern’s crosshairs.

The show with the most dominant ratings in broadcast television history is in danger of being “ruined,” according to the satellite shock jock.

The toilet tongued Stern has been working with Web site votefortheworst.com and using his radio platform to try and persuade his listening audience to follow the dictates of the site, which advocates that “Idol” viewers vote for the poorest performer on the show.

The designated contestant of the current season is an atonal, arrhythmic, androgynous singer named Sanjaya Malakar. Malakar has inspired tears, endless Internet chatter, late-night comedy ribbing and a direct threat from curmudgeonly judge Simon Cowell.

Cowell has signaled his intentions to quit “Idol” if Malakar wins. “I won’t be back if he does,” Cowell recently declared to “Extra.”

Stern is gleeful over the possibility of the show’s demise. “We’re corrupting the entire thing. All of us are routing ‘American Idol,’” the Sirius bigwig boasted during a recent show. “It’s so great. The No. 1 show in television and it’s getting ruined.”

Stern routinely uses Malakar as fodder to debate Eric Lynch, a habitual caller. Lynch is firmly against the idea of harming the integrity of “Idol.” In jousting with Lynch, Stern launches verbal missiles at the show while he promotes the idea of Malakar becoming the next “American Idol.”

Fans of Stern have demonstrated cult-like tendencies in the past, as listeners appear to follow the dictates of their leader. He has even thrown his weight around in statewide elections in New York.

Malakar was in the bottom two or three of “Idol” contestants during the initial episodes of the show. But he was noticeably absent from the lower vote-getter categories in those telecasts that took place after Stern started to focus on his get-out-the-vote effort in March.

With over 30 million people tuning in each week, other networks are likely pleased with Stern’s campaign and heartened by the fact that this year’s “Idol” ratings are down 10 percent.

Since the actual vote tallies are not released to the public, exactly how many voters Stern has managed to corral is unknown. Malakar does have his own fan base and is also being covered extensively by Indian media.

Fox has issued a statement on the matter, expressing its skepticism of Stern’s actual impact on the plurality of the vote.

“With 30 million votes every week, and hundreds of millions of votes over the season,” the Fox statement reads, “the power of true fans of ‘American Idol’ dwarfs any attempt of people trying to gain notoriety. Despite the press coverage, these campaigns don’t affect who moves forward in the competition.”

In private, though, Fox execs’ fingers must be crossed that Malakar is booted sooner rather than later.

The Media’s Mormon Fixation

What’s the deal with the mainstream media?

These days they seem to be infatuated with two subjects: Anna Nicole Smith and Mormons.

Their questions come in headlines and TV segment titles:

“Are you a Mormon?”

“Would you vote for a Mormon?”

“Would you date a Mormon?”

Why is there suddenly with such a negative subtext a focus on a person’s religious convictions?

Didn’t the same mainstream media force-feed us the idea that Congressman Keith Ellison’s Muslim religion should be of no concern?

And if the Minnesota representative wanted to use a Quran instead of a Bible to be sworn in, that was his business. And that his faith was in no way going to interfere with his ability to carry out his duties or ably serve his constituents.

Apparently, for the mainstream media, the same principles do not apply to Mormons.

Could it have something to do with Mormon voting patterns? After all, it’s about as common to find a Mormon who doesn’t vote Republican as it is to find a “Dennis Kucinich for President” button.

I guess in the eyes of a typical reporter, who can’t imagine voting for anyone other than a Democrat unless the person hails from the Socialist Workers Party, Mormons aren’t particularly progressive.

Even the godless New York Times has gotten into theological commentating. Now here’s a headline for you: “Mormon Candidate Braces for Religion as Issue.”

What’s next? Will we see the “man on the street reporter” asking folks, “Whose statues are cooler, Catholics or Mormons?”

Personally, I think we need to show more religious tolerance. Let’s agree to accept the idea that someone can hold high office in this country and be of the same religion as Donnie and Marie.

This narrow-minded coverage has got to stop so our Mormon Majority Leader Harry Reid can do his job in peace.

Poll: Wacking Wal-Mart is a Political Loser

Simply put, the poll results raise this question: Why have Democrats chosen to highlight their opposition to the nation’s largest employer. …

Polls and Presidential Predictions

 … how many early frontrunners (other than vice presidents) went on to win their  party’s nomination? And how many of those went on to win the general election?

There’s no sure way to predict results of some elections

There’s no sure way to predict results of some elections

“Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life,” some sage once observed. “Don’t let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay.”

That adage applies to Tuesday’s elections in the Rock River Valley. In some local races, perhaps even a few that will be decided by fairly wide margins, the results remain mysteries until the ballots are actually counted. Boredom will be kept at bay for the political junkies among us.

To demonstrate the mystery, try this little experiment on Monday: Ask a friend or co-worker ­— somebody with at least a modicum of interest in politics — to predict the outcome of the contest between incumbent Republican Dave Syverson and Democratic challenger Dan Lewandowski for the Illinois Senate seat in the 34th District. Then ask the reasons for the prediction. for more