Concerned that “we know little or nothing” of President Obama’s nominee to head the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Media Research Center President (MRC) Brent Bozell sent an open letter on June 15 to the Senate Commerce Committee urging the members to thoroughly query Julius Genachowski.
The panel, headed by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) , will hold hearings today on Genachowski’s nomination for the chairmanship of the FCC and for Commissioner Robert McDowell’s reconfirmation.
Commissioner McDowell “has been and remains a bulwark against a return of the Censorship Doctrine – also mis-known as the “Fairness” Doctrine. We know where he stands,” Bozell noted, adding that Genachowski’s views on “critical issues” like censorship, “localism” and “diversity” requirements are unknown.
“Mr. Genachowski must be asked about all of these issues. It is imperative that you - and the American people - get answers to these questions,” Bozell urged the senators on the Commerce Committee. Listed below are a few of the questions the MRC president would like asked:
•Do you wish to reduce the number of local and national stations any one ownership group may have? If so, how do you plan to implement and enforce these limitations without it unconstitutionally affecting on-air political content?
•Have you discussed the so-called “Fairness” Doctrine with the President? Will you reimpose it? Where do you stand on this form of outright regulatory censorship?
•Do you desire to see these proposed “local content boards” become a reality? If so, what review process will you have in place for their complaints to ensure that they are not abused in the manner I just described? Will you promise here and now to stand against ANY such efforts by anyone seeking to use these “local content boards” for partisan political purposes?
To see the full list of questions Mr. Bozell would like to see asked of FCC Chairman Nominee Julius Genachowski, click here.
