FCC attack on talkers beginning?
'I hope you will not hesitate to propose aggressive solutions'

Posted: May 09, 2009
12:50 am Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

The acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has told members of a "diversity" committee who almost exclusively represent left-leaning organizations to tackle the status quo in America's broadcast industry and suggest "aggressive" solutions to what they see as problems.

According to The O'Leary Report, published by author Brad O'Leary, author of "Shut Up, America!: The End of Free Speech," the FCC's "Diversity Committee," headed by "Fairness Doctrine," supporter Henry Rivera, has begun its work.

The report said the committee made it clear at a meeting yesterday its members will force President Obama's supporters into positions of power within the broadcast industry.

The message came when acting FCC chief Michael J. Copps "forcefully denounced the current racial and gender makeup of the broadcast industry and called its lack of diversity 'a shameful state of affairs,'" the report said.

"Is it any wonder that minorities are so often stereotyped and caricatured and that the positive contributions of the minority community are so often overlooked?" Copps claimed, according to the report.

The members, who represent groups such as the National Urban League, the Asian American Justice Center and One World Economy, were told by Copps:

"Be bold. Take these issues and run with them. This is not a ceremonial appointment. This is your chance to make a real and lasting difference. I hope that you will set an aggressive agenda for yourselves and that you will not hesitate to propose aggressive solutions," the report said.

WND reported earlier when the membership of the committee was named. It also was reported when a think tank headed by John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama's transition team, mapped out a strategy in 2007 for clamping down on conservative talk radio by requiring stations to be operated by female and minority owners, which the report showed were statistically more likely to carry liberal political talk shows.

That report found the best strategy for getting equal time for "progressives" on radio lies in mandating "diversity of ownership" without ever needing to mention the former FCC policy of requiring airtime for liberal viewpoints, known as the "Fairness Doctrine," a plan thrown out in the 1980s.

Sign the petition to block federal government attacks on freedom of speech and freedom of the press!

The mission of the new diversity committee, according to the FCC website, is to "make recommendations to the FCC regarding policies and practices that will further enhance the ability of minorities and women to participate in telecommunications and related industries."

Seton Motley, director of communications for the Media Research Center, further commented on the lineup of 31 activists and media moguls chosen to form the committee.

"Not a single conservative organization is taking part in this commission," Motley writes. "More than a dozen leftist groups are. A little ironic for a 'diversity' panel, is it not?"

At no time during the committee meeting was mention made of a recent Zogby poll that showed 66 percent of American voters opposed the creation of advisory committees designed to promote diversity in the broadcast industry.

Rivera's statements were no less ominous than Copps'.

"The public is here and the press is here so you might want to keep that in mind as you formulate your thoughts," he warned.

Nowhere was the process of selecting committee members explained, nor was there an explanation why conservative groups were not included.

But Rivera did confirm the committee now will begin making suggestions to the FCC on how broadcasters will be required to submit reports on the race and gender of individuals in their companies.

That will be a large part of what the "Diversity Committee" will analyze, Rivera said, with a "race-based rulemaking procedure" possibly in the offing, according to the report.

O'Leary's book warns that the FCC also may look to shortening the broadcast license renewal period from eight years to two, forcing broadcasters to make immediate changes or jeopardize their license.

After the FCC abandoned the "Fairness Doctrine" in 1987, talk radio exploded from fewer than 150 stations nationwide to more than 3,000. But many of those stations carry popular syndicated programming from politically conservative hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, prompting some politicians to seek more "balance" on the airwaves.

As WND has reported, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has joined up with other influential Democrats, including President Bill Clinton, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, in calling for a resurrection of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine."

It's time to put up or shut up, America. Literally. Get the book that shows how to fight the assault on your freedom of speech!

And President Obama, while he has eschewed support for the "Fairness Doctrine" by name, has made statements in speeches and on the White House website that read as through they were taken directly from Podesta's plan for using "diversity" to make radio more "fair."

The full membership of the committee is listed below:

Henry Rivera, Emma Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media

Raul Alarcon, Jr., Spanish Broadcasting System

Jenny Alonzo, Mio.TV

James M. Assey, Jr., National Cable and Telecommunications Association

Geoffrey C. Blackwell, Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.

Matthew Blank, Showtime Networks

Maria E. Brennan, American Women in Radio and Television

Kathy Brown, Verizon

Toni Cook Bush, Virgin Mobile

Alan B. Davidson, Google, Inc.

Ralph de la Vega, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets

Steve Hillard, Council Tree Communications

David Honig, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council

Rodney Hood, National Credit Union Administration

Ronald Johnson, Ronson Network Services

Debra Lee, BET Holdings, Inc.

Jane Mago, National Association of Broadcasters

Robert Mendez, ABC Television Network

Marc H. Morial, National Urban League

Karen K. Narasaki, Asian American Justice Center

Melissa Newman, Qwest

Jake Oliver, Afro-American Newspapers

Susan K. Patrick, Patrick Communications

Lisa Pickrum, The RLJ Companies

Rey Ramsey, One Economy Corporation

Michael V. Roberts, Roberts Broadcasting Companies LLC

Andrew Schwartzman, Media Access Project

Anita Stephens Graham, Opportunity Capital Partners

Diane Sutter, Shooting Star Broadcasting

Charles Warfield, Inner City Broadcasting

James Winston, National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters

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31 horsemen of talk radio's apocalypse?

U.S. regulatory czar nominee wants Net 'Fairness Doctrine'

Nation's talkers meet on 'imminent threat'

Obama blueprint for silencing talk radio exposed

'A little state control wouldn't hurt anybody'

Bill Clinton joins drumbeat for 'Fairness Doctrine'

Senate support builds for 'Fairness Doctrine'

News bailouts threaten freedom of press

Another senator lines up behind 'Fairness Doctrine'

'Fairness' fan's husband makes money in 'libtalk'

Is there sinister plot to squelch talk radio?

Oppose 'un-American' speech limits!

White House plan puts bull's-eye on talk shows

Obama radio critic finds talk show time slashed

Obama to appoint talk radio's executioner?

'Fairness Doctrine' rejected 'absolutely'

Hushing Rush and Hannity sounds great to Obama fans

Limbaugh fights 'Hush Rush' push

Nearly half of Americans favor 'Fairness Doctrine'

Bush opposes 'Fairness Doctrine'

President won't join 'Bash Rush' campaign

Rush to Sen. Reid: 'Say it to my face'

'Hush Rush' supporters draw 'no comment'

Bush no fan of Fairness Doctrine

'Hush Rush' bill - gone, not forgotten

Voinovich self-destructs on Hannity

Kerry joins Fairness Doctrine chorus

Democrats hope to hush Rush

Claim: Hillary, Boxer look to 'fix' talk radio

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