Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Why Doesn't the FCC Start a Review of CNN, NBC, and MSNBC's Broadcast Licenses?

Each station that broadcasts on the air, whether it be by radio or on TV must have a license to operate granted by the FCC. As part of that license they have to agree to provide news, etc., for the public good and a host of other things to ensure they aren't a propaganda machine instead of a news system.

So, why aren't CNN, NBC, and MSNBC's broadcasting licenses under review as they are clearly propaganda arms rather than news organizations.

The FCC is barred by law from trying to prevent the broadcast of any point of view. The Communications Act prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcast material, in most cases, and from making any regulation that would interfere with freedom of speech.

Fairness Doctrine, look it up, then decide.

I bet you change your tune once you think about it.

I'm not suggesting that they don't have the right to an opinion, however, I think as holders of the public trust, they are required to clearly define reporting their opinions from reporting facts. The are clearly a propaganda tool of their owners and the Democratic party and as such have lied repeatedly making up stories that in no plausible way can be considered as 'news'. As such, they have violated the provisions of their operating licenses and the plug should be pulled on them.

Trump has discussed.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trumps-threats-to-revoke-broadcast-licenses-put-fcc-in-a-catch-22

CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, CNBC and AL-JAZEERA just think it is so unfair to have to compete against the one Conservative news network, FOX, that it shouldn't be allowed to be on the air. It just isn't FAIR!!

Unfortunately, there seems to be no law for “journalistic malpractice”. Think about it. If a doctor or plumber or mechanic screws up, they run the risk of getting sued. A cop or truck driver that screws up might even go to jail.

What happens to a journalist or politician that screws up?? Nothing. Journalists aren’t even required to issue a decent apology or “correction”. They can screw up on page ONE of the newspaper, and you MIGHT get a correction on the bottom corner of page 18. MAYBE.....

I agree but to accomplish that the Communications Act needs to be amended. I don't believe that will happen anytime soon, but maybe if Trump wins, holds the Senate and wins back the house.

I don't believe that anyone ever thought the "news" would ever become the "lies", but it has for most networks. Something needs to be done, but I don't believe the FCC will be any help in the near future.

If I remember right, the FCC only has jurisdiction of over the air broadcasting. Stations on only cable or satellite are not covered by them. Again, I may be wrong.

Lets start with PBS a taxpayer funded libatard propaganda outlet

All electronic communications

Freedom of speech and press are not the right to lie and cause harm with malice and forethought.

We have the right to keep and bare arms, but not the right to shoot and cause harm and death to others without just cause. Right?

The right to freedom of speech and press doesn't mean you can yell "fire" in a dark theater and enjoy the injury your words cause just because you want to manipulate the actions of those in attendance.

It is the same with Media. If and when the media lies outright with malice, or lack of due-diligence (as any blind man could see from watching 1 hour per month) they should be prosecuted for the EXACT SAME REASON someone yelling fire in the dark theater should.
Why have then not been?

Because the libs have controlled the FCC and many of the courts, as well as the 'justice" department. for many years.

But many in the mainstream media are 100% guilty of this crime. It is more obvious then the sunrise.

Actually, there is a law to which they must answer, it it isn’t a criminal law. It’s called libel. News outlets can be sued for spreading news that is false and malicious. It used to be a powerful tool that kept the wire services and newspapers honest, but fell into disuse over the past 50-70 years, so the news media have forgotten they can be held accountable.

The Catholic kid who’s suing CNN and the WaPo has revived the concept, and I predict it will bear sweet fruit. The shareholders of the media giants won’t stand for a major multimillion dollar settlement over false and narrative-driven reporting. The insurance companies that underwrite these outlets will excoriate them. Heads will roll in the executive offices and editorial rooms. Journalism will be forced to police itself.

We just might see a return of journalistic standards in this country over the next decade.

....also, every TV and radio station does come under review every so many years (I think it was every 3 years.) If they can not show that they have a large enough audience, they lose thier licience to that frequency. (The airwaves belong to you and me). A local black music radio, WVKO lost thier licence for that very reason. Thier slot on the dial is now a country station.
(I am a licensed broadcaster. It's what I went to college to become, and I may get back into it when I retire. (Pays pretty poorly).

Edit: other rules, of which you may not be aware for media...
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/fccs-review-broadcast-ownership-rules

https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/broadcast-radio-license-renewal#block-menu-block-4

Of course the other unknown, to me anyway, are the sympathies of those in the FCC. If they are populated like most agencies and bureaucracies in the DC area, as we’ve seen with the FBI leadership and DOJ, just their failure “to impress” the news outlets with evenhandedness can be their part in this ongoing, slowly rolling coup attempt.

I think the House did pass something today though in regard to the FCC and the internet and some of the openly biased sites.

Hopefully DocRoc is right and the worm will turn...at least somewhat.

By all means.....let's have the gubment start another unbiased investigation.

CNN and MSNBC are cable networks, so they do not broadcast, so they do not need a broadcast license.

Sir, do you recall when the cable company tried to stop those with satellite dishes from getting free cable product? This is because the cable companies use satellites to distribute thier wares to distribution hubs for local cable. It is NOT run through wire or fiber optic from the creaters to your door step. It was run through the court system, and ruled that anyone with the ability to intercept the signal, had the Right to do so, since the airwaves are public owned. The cable companies responded by incrypting thier signal BEFORE it was uploaded, instead of thier normal process of incryption before traveling down the wire. (Incryption is done to require you to have thier box to DECRYPT thier signal.) So yes, I'd bet dollars to donuts, they must be licensed, since they ARE using our airways.

"The Federal Communications Commission first established rules in 1965 for cable systems which received signals by microwave antennas. In 1966, the Commission established rules for all cable systems (whether or not served by microwave). The Supreme Court affirmed the Commission's jurisdiction over cable in United States v. Southwestern Cable Co. Opens a New Window. , 392 U.S. 157 (1968). The Court ruled that "the Commission has reasonably concluded that regulatory authority over CATV is imperative if it is to perform with appropriate effectiveness certain of its responsibilities." The Court found the Commission needed authority over cable systems to assure the preservation of local broadcast service and to effect an equitable distribution of broadcast services among the various regions of the country.

In 1972, new rules regarding cable television became effective. These rules required cable television operators to obtain a certificate of compliance from the Commission prior to operating a cable television system or adding a television broadcast signal. The rules applicable to cable operators fell into several broad subject areas -- franchise standards, signal carriage, network program nonduplication and syndicated program exclusivity, nonbroadcast or cablecasting services, cross-ownership, equal employment opportunity, and technical standards. Cable television operators who originated programming were subject to equal time, sponsorship identification and other provisions similar to rules applicable to broadcasters. Cable operators were also required to maintain certain records and to file annual reports with the Commission concerning general statistics, employment, and finances.

In succeeding years, the Commission modified or eliminated many of the rules. Among the more significant actions, the Commission deleted most of the franchise standards in 1977, substituted a registration process for the certificate of compliance application process in 1978, and eliminated the distant signal carriage restrictions and syndicated program exclusivity rules in 1980. In 1983, the Commission deleted its requirement that cable operators file financial information. In addition, court actions led to the deletion of pay cable programming rules in 1977.

1984 Congressional Policy and Rules
Return to Top

In October 1984, the U.S. Congress amended the Communications Act of 1934 by adopting the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 Opens a New Window. . The 1984 Cable Act established policies in the areas of ownership, channel usage, franchise provisions and renewals, subscriber rates and privacy, obscenity and lockboxes, unauthorized reception of services, equal employment opportunity, and pole attachments. The new law also defined jurisdictional boundaries among federal, state and local authorities for regulating cable television systems.

1992 Congressional Policy and Rules
Return to Top

Following the 1984 Cable Act Opens a New Window. , the number of households subscribing to cable television systems increased, as did the channel capacity of many cable systems. However, competition among distributors of cable services did not increase, and, in many communities, the rates for cable services far outpaced inflation. Responding to these problems, Congress enacted the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. The 1992 Cable Act mandated a number of changes in the manner in which cable television is regulated.

In adopting the 1992 Cable Act, Congress stated that it wanted to promote the availability of diverse views and information, to rely on the marketplace to the maximum extent possible to achieve that availability, to ensure cable operators continue to expand their capacity and program offerings, to ensure cable operators do not have undue market power, and to ensure consumer interests are protected in the receipt of cable service. The Commission has adopted regulations to implement these goals.

1996 Congressional Policy and Rules
Return to Top

In adopting the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress noted that it wanted to provide a pro-competitive, de-regulatory national policy framework designed to accelerate rapidly private sector deployment of advanced telecommunications and information technologies and services to all Americans by opening all telecommunications markets to competition. The Commission has adopted regulations to implement the requirements of the 1996 Act and the intent of Congress.

What is Cable Television?
Return to Top

Cable television is a video delivery service provided by a cable operator to subscribers via a coaxial cable or fiber optics. Programming delivered without a wire via satellite or other facilities is not "cable television" under the Commission's definitions.

A sort by cable television system operator is any person or group of persons who provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system, or who otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of such a cable system.

sort by Cable service is the transmission to subscribers of video programming, or other programming service. This definition includes any subscriber selection required in choosing video programming or other programming service.

A sort by cable system is a facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple subscribers within a community. This term does not include:

(1) a facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of one or more television broadcast stations;

(2) a facility that serves subscribers without using any public right-of-way;

(3) a facility of a common carrier which is subject in whole or in part, to the provisions of Title II of the Communications Act, except that such facility shall be considered a cable system to the extent such facility is used in the transmission of video programming directly to subscribers, unless the extent of such use is solely to provide interactive on demand services;

(4) an open video system; or

(5) any facilities of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility system.

Cable services are often provided in sort by tiers. A tier is a category of cable service or services provided by a cable operator for which a separate rate is charged by the cable operator. There are three types of cable service: basic service, cable programming service, and per-channel or per-program (sometimes called pay-per-view) service.

sort by Basic service is the lowest level of cable service a subscriber can buy. It includes, at a minimum, all over-the-air television broadcast signals carried pursuant to the must-carry requirements of the Communications Act, and any public, educational, or government access channels required by the system's franchise agreement. It may include additional signals chosen by the operator. Basic service is generally regulated by the local franchising authority (the local or state entity empowered by Federal, State, or local law to grant a franchise to a cable company to operate in a given area).

sort by Cable programming service includes all program channels on the cable system that are not included in basic service, but are not separately offered as per-channel or per-program services. Pursuant to a 1996 federal law, the rates charged for cable programming services tiers provided after March 31, 1999 are not regulated. There may be one or more tiers of cable programming service.

sort by Per-channel or per-program service includes those cable services that are provided as single-channel tiers by the cable operator, and individual programs for which the cable operator charges a separate rate Neither of these services is regulated by the local franchising authorities or the Commission.

A sort by local exchange carrier (LEC) is a telephone company which provides local telephone service.

A sort by multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) is any person such as, but not limited to, a cable operator, a multichannel multipoint distribution service, a direct broadcast satellite service, or a television receive-only satellite program distributor, who makes available for purchase, by subscribers or customers, multiple channels of video programming.

Registration of a Cable System
Return to Top

Before commencing operation, a cable system operator must send the following information to the Secretary of the Commission for each community to be served:

(1) The legal name of the operator, the entity identification or social security number, and whether the operator is an individual, private association, partnership or corporation. If the operator is a partnership, the legal name of the partner responsible for communications with the Commission;

(2) The assumed name (if any) used for doing business in the community;

(3) The mailing address, including zip code, and the telephone number to which all communications are to be directed;

(4) The date the system provided services to 50 or more subscribers;

(In order to comply with the requirements relating to aeronautical frequency usage, a system must register in advance of providing service to any subscribers, so that a subsequent aeronautical notification may be timely filed pursuant to § 76.615(b)).

(5) The name of the community or area served and the county in which it is located;

(6) The television broadcast signals to be carried;

(7) A certification that the applicant is not subject to a denial of federal benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C., 853a, or, in the case of a non-individual applicant (for instance, a corporation, partnership, or other unincorporated association), that no party to the application is subject to a denial of federal benefits pursuant to that section; and

(8) For a cable system (or an employment unit) with six or more full-time employees, a statement of the proposed community unit's equal employment opportunity program, unless such program has previously been filed for the community unit or is not required to be filed based on an anticipated number if fewer than six full-time employees.

A registration statement must be signed by an authorized representative of the cable television company. The Commission issues a public notice setting forth the details of each registration statement as it is received. The cable television operator is not required to serve the registration statement on any party and may begin operation immediately upon filing the registration statement. However, commencement of operation is entirely at the risk of the system operator. If violations of the rules are subsequently discovered, appropriate regulatory sanctions, including imposition of a monetary forfeiture and/or the issuance of a cease and/or desist order, may be employed.

State and Local Regulation of Cable Systems
Return to Top

A variety of laws and regulations for cable television exist at the state and local level. Some states, such as Massachusetts, regulate cable television on a comprehensive basis through a state commission or advisory board established for the sole purpose of cable television regulation. In Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the agencies are state public utility commissions. In Hawaii, regulation of cable television is the responsibility of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. In other areas of the country, cable is regulated by local governments such as a city cable commission, city council, town council, or a board of supervisors. These regulatory entities are called "local franchising authorities." In addition, most states have one or more state laws specifically applicable to cable television, dealing most commonly with such subjects as franchising, theft of service, pole attachments, rate regulation and taxation.

The 1992 Cable Act codified, and the Commission has adopted, a regulatory plan allowing local and/or state authorities to select a cable franchisee and to regulate in any areas that the Commission did not preempt. Local franchising authorities have adopted laws and/or regulations in areas such as subscriber service requirements, public access requirements and franchise renewal standards. Under the 1992 Cable Act, local franchising authorities have specific responsibility for regulating the rates for basic cable service and equipment.

The Communications Act requires that no new cable operator may provide service without a franchise and establishes several policies relating to franchising requirements and franchise fees. The Communications Act authorizes local franchising authorities to grant one or more franchises within their jurisdiction. However, a local franchising authority may not grant an exclusive franchise, and may not unreasonably withhold its consent for new service. Included in the grant of a franchise to a cable system are rights relating to the construction of the system, including the local franchising authority's authorization to use public rights-of-way, easements, and to establish the areas to be served. In addition, the law requires just compensation to property owners who have suffered damages as a result of a cable operator's construction, operation, installation, or removal of its cable television facilities. Moreover, franchising authorities are required to ensure that access to cable service is not denied to any group of potential residential cable subscribers on the basis of income class. Although the Communications Act also generally precludes the regulation of cable systems as common carriers, it authorizes the Commission, to require, if it chooses, the filing of informational tariffs for intrastate communications services, other than cable service, which are provided by a cable system.

Franchising authorities may charge the cable operator a fee for the right to operate a cable system in that franchise area; however, the franchise fee paid by the cable system can be no more than five percent of its annual gross revenue. A franchising authority may use the money collected from this fee for any purpose. A cable operator may list any applicable franchise fee as a separate item on the subscriber's bill."
(And a LOT more at the link provided)


https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/cable-television

Not any more.

Now unless you are paying a satellite provider, it travels by fiber/coax. . Fiber is cheaper, faster, and more reliable, and much easier to upgrade.

Besides, the broadcast licenses are much more specific.

It's also why you can show R rates, or unrated shows on HBO etc.
They are not broadcast networks.