Radio Revenue Will Be Affected If Politicians Control Spending…

Wednesday, February, 3, 2010 by Mel Phillips.

A bad situation could get even worse if politicos get their way. The same politicians who shell out money to buy the ads that get them elected, are now calling themselves ‘lawmakers’ as they fight the Supreme Court ruling on campaign spending. On the surface it sounds like a good thing, according to all the comments I’ve been reading since last week’s ruling. Most of you were opposed to the ruling which effectively lifted restrictions on big business and union election spending while I thought, at least it would result in more revenue for radio. Not many people agreed with me. Those opposed have unlikely allies who are determined to change that Supreme Court ruling. “If this ruling is left unchallenged, if Congress fails to act, our country will be faced with big, moneyed interests spending, or threatening to spend, millions on ads against those who dare to stand up to them” says Senate Rules Committee Chairman Chuck Schumer (D-NY)…

Now here’s what I don’t like about this movement. As the Washington Post reports, ”The concern of Democrats, who commonly are considered more vulnerable to multi-million-dollar campaign ads unleashed by corporations, was evident when President Obama took the rare step of openly criticizing the decision during his State of the Union speech last week.” Of course, Republicans love the Supreme Court ruling. You get the picture? Politics as usual…

House Judiciary Committee ChairmanJohn Conyers (D-Mich) and Rep. Donna Edwards(D-MD) have introduced a constitutional amendment permitting Congress and the states to regulate the expenditure of funds by corporations engaging in political speech. Just what we need — more government intervention… 

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1690] “Money, money, money, monnnnney“: The 1st paper money in the U.S. is issued by the Massachusetts colony. The currency is used to pay soldiers fighting in the war against Quebec (was this over hockey, eh?)…
2. 1815] Cheesy: The world’s 1st commercial cheese factory is established in Switzerland (no mention of who was used to cut the cheese)…
3. 1913] The Taxman is coming: The 16th amendment to the Constitution is ratified authorizing the power to impose and collect income tax (how about a vote to repeal it?)…
4. 1959] The day the music died: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson aka ‘The Big Bopper’ perish when their small plane goes down in Iowa. Waylon Jennings remembers Buddy most of all…
5. 1961] Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow: Over 17″ of snow blankets New York City. It’s the 6th largest snowfall in the city.  It looked something like this…
6. 1998] Lights out: Texas executes Karla Faye Tucker who becomes the first woman executed since 1984. All Karla did was hack two people to death with a pickax…
7. 1998] Plunging to death: A U.S. Marine jet slices a cable in Italy causing the death of 20 skiers on a lift. They will fall 370 feet to their deaths…
8. 2002] I get a kick out of you: Britney Spears sings the national anthem and then Adam Vinatieri kicks a 48-yard field goal and the underdog Patriots win their first Super Bowl over the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI. Tom Brady wins the first of two SB MVPs…2008]  Super Bowl XLII goes to the Giants who upset the Patriots 17-14…
9. 2003] Murder at the mansion: Record producer Phil Spector is arrested in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in California…
10. 2007] Baghdad bomber: A suicide truck bomber strikes a Baghdad market, killing more than 130…

Music Memories:

• 1956] Worth more than a million: The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash) record at Sun Records in Memphis…
• 1960] Ole Blue Eyes - Record Mogul: Frank Sinatra starts his own label called Reprise…
• 1973] Number One on this date: “Crocodile Rock” - Elton John…

Commentary:

The 70th Annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System’s conference is coming up on March 5 - 7, 2010. Those interested in attending can click here for more information and registration forms. The IBS conference will be held at New York’s Hotel Pennsylvania, directly across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. I will be appearing on two panels, but not at the same time, on March 5…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Maura (”E.R.”) Tierney (45), Mr. & Mrs. Phil Vettor’s aka my sister and brother-in-law) (53nd anniversary). (Congratulations Ri & Phil), Nathan Lane (54), Morgan Fairchild (60), Melanie (Safka) (63), Dave Davies of the Kinks (63), The Temptations’ Dennis Edwards (67), Blythe Danner (67), Fran Tarkenton (70), Emile Griffith(72) and Shelley Berman (84)…

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until Super Bowl XLIV, 11 days until Valentine’s Day, 12 days until President’s Day, 15 days until ‘pitchers and catchers’ & 60 days until the MLB opener (Red Sox vs. Yankees)…

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