NAB Responds to Senate’s Smackdown of FCC…

Monday, May, 19, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

In simple terms, the FCC has decided that the 1978 rule that banned newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership be relaxed.  The rule was put into place thirty years ago to help newspapers get through its financial hardships.  Today every form of media not electronic is going through times far worse than what newspapers went through in 1978.  That’s the reasoning behind the FCC decision.  Enter the United States Senate  which late last week lowered the boom on the FCC by voting to invalidate the loosening of the thirty-year old ban…

The NAB  with a vested interest in the FCC decision has strongly opposed the Senate vote which keeps the status quo of newspapers in the top 20 markets to ownership of a single radio or TV outlet and waivers required for combinations in smaller markets…

What’s next is a vote by the House on the Senate resolution and a bill which would then be sent to the president who, siding with the FCC has promised to veto the bill.   Both the FCC and NAB are fully aware of the pending veto but are also fully aware that they have no friends in Congress, thanks to the Senate’s wake-up call…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1536]  Heads, you lose:  Anne Boleyn, second wife of England’s King Henry VIII  is beheaded after being convicted of adultery.  Peter Noone left that part out of his hit…
2. 1921]  The more things change:  Congress passes the Emergency Quota Act  which establishes national quotas for immigrants…
3. 1960]  This King is dethroned:  Alan Freed  is arrested with 7 others on suspicion of commercial bribery.  Freed refused to sign an affidavit in 1959 denying he had accepted payola.  Although payola was not yet a crime, Freed is charged with 26 counts of commercial bribery but escapes with just a fine.  His career, however, is ruined…
4. 1962]  Happy Birthday Mr. President:  Marilyn Monroe performs a sultry rendition of “Happy Birthday” for President John F. Kennedy with Jackie by his side during a fund raiser at Madison Square Garden…
5. 1969]  Debuted on this date:  Six-year old Jodie Foster  makes her show business debut on “Mayberry R.F.D.”…1999]  “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” premieres and sets a new record for opening day sales at 28.5 million…2005]  “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” almost doubles the original movie with 50 million on opening day…
6. 1973]  Big Red:  The great Secretariat, winner of the Kentucky Derby, wins the Preakness by 2 1/2 lengths.  In three weeks, perhaps the greatest thoroughbred of all-time will run away with the Belmont Stakes.  Is Big Brown on the same path???
7. 1992]  Veep Speak:  Vice President Dan Quayle criticizes “Murphy Brown” because the title character has a baby out of wedlock…
8. 1992]  Taking a bullet for Joey:  Mary Joe Buttafuoco is shot in the head and seriously wounded by her husband Joey’s teenager lover, Amy Fisher…
9. 1994]  ‘Happy Trails’:  Former first-lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis  passes away from cancer at 64…2006]  Freddie Garrity, lead singer of Freddie and The Dreamers, dies from pulmonary hypertension at 69…
10. 1994]  Curtains:  We say goodbye to “L.A. Law” which ends it’s 8-year run.  This is what the final year intro looked like…

Music Memories:

• 1958]  Released on this date:  “Splish Splash” - Bobby Darin.  Released as the first 8-track master recording pressed on a plastic 45 rpm disc…1973]  “Kodachrome” - Paul Simon…
• 1960]  “Save The Last Dance For Me” - Drifters…
• 1965]  Number One on this date:  “Ticket To Ride” - Beatles.  The first single to feature Paul McCartney on lead guitar…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

Kevin Garnett (32), Grace Jones (60), Pete Townshend (63),Nora Ephron (67), Nancy Kwan (69), David Hartman (73) and Jim Lehrer (74)…

Timeline Countdown:  7 days until Memorial Day, 27 days until Father’s Day, 34 days until summer and 47 days until July 4th…

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