SocraticGadfly: So long, PBS as we know it?

April 13, 2012

So long, PBS as we know it?

A San Francisco public TV station WANTED to run political ads. That's problem No. 1.

So, it sued the FCC after being fined for so doing.

Now, the biggie. A three-judge appellate court group (in what's supposed to be a liberal appellate circuit) said, on 2-1 vote, the FCC was wrong.

The court said the political ads are in "public interest." And, since politics is, in some nebulous way, nonprofit, the court let stand bans on for-profit ads.

Can, and will, PBS simply jerk this station's license/franchise? Or, if not immediately jerk, at least non-renew? Unfortunately, Wikipedia says its already NOT a PBS affiliate. Nonetheless, the ruling could have fallout at PBS stations, too. And NPR, of course.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yank the station's license? Please.
With all the declining government support for stations and all the competition from cable, satellite and online, stations must find new revenues. Because one has the right to act non-responsibly, doesn't mean one will. Just maybe public stations will do what they do best - find educational [non-negative; non-personal attack]ways of informing viewers on candidate and issues. This is especially so for non-partisan elective offices like judges. Stations get the vast majority of their support from their viewers. I'd bet they will 'follow the money' and be more responsive to those viewers.