Bush FCC Blinded By Hypocrisy
All Americans should take careful note of this week’s news that New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has slapped music giant Sony/BMG with a $10 million dollar fine for engaging in payola. What is worth noting is the chilling silence and granite stillness of the Federal Communications Commission: the agency that should be taking the lead in exposing and prosecuting this massive fraud.
Payola, the practice of dee-jays taking bribes to play records, is an illegal act because it constitutes an abuse of public trust. The airwaves of America belong to the people and are utilized by over-the-air broadcasters as “trustees” of this finite public resource. Taking money to play a record specifically violates FCC regulations, which require the sponsor of a broadcast be clearly identified.
It should come as no surprise that the FCC, which is so quick to levy seven digit fines on broadcasters for a stray curse word, is reluctant to go after payola. Any sweeping investigation of “pay-for-play” would ultimately end up at the front door of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The Bush administration has been unapologetic and unabashed despite numerous “payola” revelations since the 2004 election. These include thousands of dollars to radio commentator and columnist Armstrong Williams to voice a pro-administration stance on education issues. Similar payments went to other “journalists”. GOP shill Jeff “Guckert” Gannon would be another example.
The most flagrant violation of misrepresentation by omission of sponsor identification involved the White House Press office which, hired actors to play TV reporters on pro-Bush puff pieces which were then distributed at taxpayer expense to friendly Red State media outlets which aired them during newscasts prior to the Presidential election.
Payola is no different than a corrupt county government official taking a bribe from a contractor for a favorable zooming decision. If we continue to allow everything in this nation to be sold we may someday have a dollar figure to satisfy the question: “at what price is freedom?”
Payola, the practice of dee-jays taking bribes to play records, is an illegal act because it constitutes an abuse of public trust. The airwaves of America belong to the people and are utilized by over-the-air broadcasters as “trustees” of this finite public resource. Taking money to play a record specifically violates FCC regulations, which require the sponsor of a broadcast be clearly identified.
It should come as no surprise that the FCC, which is so quick to levy seven digit fines on broadcasters for a stray curse word, is reluctant to go after payola. Any sweeping investigation of “pay-for-play” would ultimately end up at the front door of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The Bush administration has been unapologetic and unabashed despite numerous “payola” revelations since the 2004 election. These include thousands of dollars to radio commentator and columnist Armstrong Williams to voice a pro-administration stance on education issues. Similar payments went to other “journalists”. GOP shill Jeff “Guckert” Gannon would be another example.
The most flagrant violation of misrepresentation by omission of sponsor identification involved the White House Press office which, hired actors to play TV reporters on pro-Bush puff pieces which were then distributed at taxpayer expense to friendly Red State media outlets which aired them during newscasts prior to the Presidential election.
Payola is no different than a corrupt county government official taking a bribe from a contractor for a favorable zooming decision. If we continue to allow everything in this nation to be sold we may someday have a dollar figure to satisfy the question: “at what price is freedom?”
posted by Mark Crouch at 6:04 PM
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