‘GOLDEN MOMENT’ FOR TV-RADIO TO EXERT CONTENT CONTROL, COPPS SAYS
LAS VEGAS -- In his complaints about inappropriate over- air programming, Comr. Copps told NAB session here that broadcasters repeatedly told him he was “right on target” in calling for new and strict voluntary controls. “The FCC is not a content regulatory agency,” he said, and “this is the golden moment” for broadcasters to act voluntarily to put lid on undesirable programming “on an industrywide basis.”
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Questioned about FCC’s efforts to come up with new EEO rules acceptable to court (2 earlier sets of such rules have been declared unconstitutional), NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory said broadcasters had “a special role to play” in crafting those rules and in helping make sure they succeeded. If any industry ought to be in forefront on EEO, “it should be this industry,” she said.
In upcoming transition to DTV, Comr. Martin said, most important thing for Commission to do is to make decisions necessary to make it happen. Said Copps: “That’s the $64,000 question -- how far is the government going to go?” As for future of free TV, he said, “one way or another, it'll be a vastly different world.” Commissioners cited FCC’s Digital Task Force and Chmn. Powell’s proposal to industry for voluntary action (CD April 5 p1) as evidence govt. wasn’t just standing by.
Martin said Commission would deal with ownership issues it faced because of recent court remands on “expedited basis,” pending gathering of more information by special working group (CD April 10 p5). He said FCC rules had been crafted to provide for diversity of voices, which served public interest. Court’s mandates, he said, don’t “mean we have to eliminate all these rules.” But before FCC acts, Martin said, it’s necessary to obtain “more and better data.” Citing current competitive situation for media, Victory said “in about 4 years, we're going to have to do this again [because] this marketplace is changing so rapidly.” Bush Administration hasn’t taken position on ownership rules, she said, but NTIA will file comments on any changes proposed by Commission. “This a bipartisan thing,” said Copps.
With RTNDA meeting in conjunction with NAB convention for first time, leaders of both associations were happy with results even though both had substantial drops in attendance: NAB from 113,000 last year to “95,000 and counting” at noon Wed., NAB Pres. Edward Fritts told reporters. This is 2nd year in row NAB attendance has fallen. But, said Fritts, citing overall economy last year and terrorist attacks, “we're exceedingly thrilled. [Convention] has been successful beyond our expectations… I have only heard glowing comments from our exhibitors.” Large chunk of decrease came from manufacturers, with exhibitors dropping by 50 to 1,350 this year, he said, and Sony -- NAB’s largest exhibitor by far -- brought only 700 this year compared with 1,100 in 2001. On plus side, he said, NAB had chairs for 500 at Chmn. Powell’s Tues. breakfast, added 200 as crowd continued to arrive, but still turned away many.
RTNDA Pres. Barbara Cochran told us it had been “a fantastic show,” with Assn. having only 2 months to promote Las Vegas gathering. Terrorist attacks caused cancellation of RTNDA convention scheduled Sept. 12-14 in Nashville and group didn’t sign up with NAB until late Jan. Cochran said just under 1,200 had registered by RTNDA late Tues., considerable drop from 2,000 at its last convention in New Orleans 19 months ago.