[opendtv] Re: Sinclair Made Dozens of Local News Anchors Recite the Same Script
- From: Craig Birkmaier <brewmastercraig@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 04 Apr 2018 13:57:34 -0400
On Apr 4, 2018, at 10:13 AM, Bob Miller <robmxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
There were rules limiting who could own broadcast stations in the US. Such as
being an American citizen. That rule was broken for Murdock who bought into
FOX before he was a citizen with no ill affects. Later his citizenship was
rammed through in record time.
Your opinion. but it did addd a badly needed voice. The reality was that Fox
Network became viable BECAUSE of cable TV. Fox pioneered UHF TV at a time when
the UHF discount was meaningful; the big three owned the most lucrative
stations in the large markets. I worked at a UHF station in Gainesville in the
late ‘70s; we struggled to survive on garbage equipment. By the mid 80’s, with
the rapid growth of cable the station was very profitable. It is worth noting
that Gainesville adopted cable very early because both the NBC and CBS stations
were imported from Orlando and Jacksonville respectively.
It is well documented that cable gave life to UHF TV in the mid to late ‘80s,
which in turn gave life to Fox, The CW, My Network TV, and several Spanish
language networks. This is well document in “The Political Spectrum” by Thomas
Hazlett.
As for how Murdoch got his citizenship, he did it legally.
There were rules limiting how many stations or newspapers could be owned in
any given market. Those are being trampled on as we speak.
Actually no. There were several markets where cross ownership was grandfathered
in; outside of these markets cross ownership has been prohibited for decades.
The FCC ownership proceeding is looking at loosening up or eliminating the
cross ownership rule.
The reality is that outside of a few markets, newspapers are dead and TV
stations are dying. The audience for local news is mostly in the 50+
demographics. Most market have only one newspaper that is limping along today;
the next shoe to drop will be local news at the #2 and #3 stations; newspaper
cross ownership could help save a few local newscasts.
They have remote controls in Russia, Turkey and China also. You can change
the channel there as well.
Yup. And to a limited extent there are some dissenting voices. Rather telling
that CNN has news operations in some of these countries that toe the political
line.
Here is the U.S. we now have MANY major voices, and the Internet amplifies the
voices of tiny minorities. What is there that you have a problem with?
You site countries that limit speech and feed their populations a regular diet
of political propaganda. Is that what you want here?
No doubt you think Fox News Channel is a propaganda tool for the current
administration, just as I believe that the Big three broadcast networks, CNN
and MSNBC were in the tank for the last administration.
What concerns me is that our education system is not teaching American history
and is censoring speech in the guise of political correctness. We cannot
survive as a free nation if the people do not understand that we GIVE the power
to govern to the politicians, and reserve the right to throw them out when they
abuse the public trust.
A diversity of opinion is one thing, of facts another. Once in a while I will
turn to a FOX channel but within minutes hear gross distortions or outright
lies which is bad for my blood pressure. Shepard is their one redeeming
person.
Sadly we have become a highly polarized nation - by design. The politicians
play us against one another while they live by a separate set of rules.. It
should be obvious that “Fake News” is a reality; it is a matter of opinion who
is lying, which “facts” are real, and how to restore respect in our
institutions and the news media.
I find a lot of diversity on NBC, CBS and ABC and I disagree with them all
the time. But they do adhere to the facts most of the time.
That’s easy when you don’t cover major news stories, focus on the stories that
attract a point of view. Fox is no different, just a different audience - a
very large one at that.
Fortunately, as I approach the tender young age of 70, I still do not need
blood pressure meds. But i do heal at the TV and incompetent drivers all the
time...
;-)
Stay well!
Regards
Craig
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