wfn.org | In response to Sinclair Broadcasting, OC, Inc. urges

[powellb@ucc.org]

Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc.
(OC, Inc.)
Gloria Tristani, managing director
(202) 263-2586
<tristang@ucc.org>
<http://ocinc.ucc.org>

In Cleveland:
Barb Powell, press contact
(216) 736-2175
<powellb@ucc.org>
<http://www.ucc.org>

For immediate release
Oct. 13, 2004

In response to Sinclair Broadcasting's plans, OC, Inc. director urges
reinstating Fairness Doctrine, personal attack rules

Sinclair Broadcast Group's plans to air partisan documentary prompts
response from five media advocacy groups

WASHINGTON, DC -- "Sinclair Broadcasting's plans to show an anti-Kerry
documentary days before the presidential election demand restoring the
personal attack rule and the Fairness Doctrine," Gloria Tristani, managing
director of the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ (OC,
Inc.), today (Oct. 13) told reporters at a joint press conference in
Washington, D.C.

The tele-press conference -- sponsored by the Alliance for Better
Campaigns, Common Cause, Media Access Project, Media for Democracy, and OC,
Inc. -- was held in response to Sinclair Broadcasting Group's plans to air
a partisan documentary close to the presidential election.

The Federal Communications Commission Fairness Doctrine policy, which was
in effect from 1949 to 1987, required television broadcasters to cover
controversial issues in their community by offering balanced and
contrasting views. The personal attack rule, which was in force from 1967
to 2000, gave individuals an opportunity to respond to character attacks
during discussions of controversial public issues.

"While Sinclair can order its 62 television stations to air the
documentary, each station holds its license as a public trustee and is
obligated to serve its community of license," Tristani said. But although
media outlets and corporations have fundamental public interest obligations
embodied in the Communications Act, nothing in current FCC rulings or
policies would require Sinclair Broadcasting to give others the air time to
provide a contrasting or balancing view, she added.

"It is high time that the FCC, or even better, the United States Congress,
reinstate the personal attack rule and the Fairness Doctrine," Tristani
said.

The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. (OC, Inc.)
was established in 1959. Throughout its history, OC, Inc. has advocated for
persons historically excluded from the media, especially women and people
of color; petitioned the FCC to issue EEO rules; sought to guarantee
educational and informational children's programming; defended the Equal
Time Rule for political candidates; supported efforts to establish
low-power FM radio; protected affordable access to emerging technologies;
and urged strengthening of basic corporate character requirements for those
who transmit images and data.

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[EDITORS and REPORTERS:  Here is the complete text of the statement given
by Gloria Tristani, Manager Director of the Office of Communication of the
United Church of Christ, Inc., Oct. 13, 2004.]

"'It is the purpose of the First Amendment to preserve an uninhibited
marketplace of ideas in which truth will ultimately prevail, rather than to
countenance monopolization of that market, whether it be by the Government
itself or a private licensee.' -- Red Lion Broadcasting v. FCC, 395 US 367
(1969)

"Sinclair Broadcasting's plans to show an Anti-Kerry documentary days
before the presidential election demands restoring the personal attack rule
and the Fairness Doctrine.

"The Fairness Doctrine was a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy
from 1949 to 1987 that required that television broadcasters, as a
condition of getting their licenses from the government, cover
controversial issues in their community, and do so by offering balancing
and contrasting views.	The personal attack rule, which was in force from
1967 to 2000, gave individuals an opportunity to respond to an attack on
their character during the discussion of controversial public issues.

"While Sinclair can order its 62 television stations to air the
documentary, each station holds its license as a public trustee and is
obligated to serve its community of license.  A fundamental public interest
obligation is to ensure that the discussion of public affairs on the public
airwaves remains a marketplace of ideas and not a platform for attacks on
personal character.  Serving the public interest also entails airing
contrasting and balancing viewpoints on issues of public concern.

"While these fundamental public interest obligations are embodied in the
Communications Act and in seminal Supreme Court cases, nothing in the
present Federal Communication Commission rules or policy would explicitly
require Sinclair, if it airs the documentary in question, to give others
the air time to provide a contrasting or balancing view, or to give Senator
Kerry equal time to respond.

"The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ has advocated
for the public interest in broadcasting since the 1960s when it challenged
the license of a television station for its failure to cover or discuss
civil right issues, based in part on the Fairness doctrine.  Today, we are
increasingly concerned about the dangers that media consolidation poses to
our democracy and self-governance.

"It is high time that the FCC, or even better, the United States Congress,
reinstate the personal attack rule and the Fairness Doctrine."

# # #