Any responsible broadcaster should be upset with Washington lawyer Erwin G. Krasnow who writes about the "fallacy of the public's airwaves." Krasnow's essay, "The First Amendment and the Fallacy of the Public's Airwaves" is part of the Speaking Freely opinion paper just released by The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. In his essay, Krasnow states his belief that the concept that the public owns the airwaves - particularly as it concerns the authority and mission of the FCC - is "a mischievous notion that has been misused as a rationalization for government regulation." Krasnow a law partner and former general counsel of the NAB has a right to his view but I never worked with anyone in radio who shared the same belief...
Krasnow adds that "Indeed, the public-ownership notion is the main reason for broadcasting's second-class status under the First Amendment." Krasnow urges that it's time for the FCC to renounce this "discredited concept." Krasnow claims that "The combination of public ownership and scarcity has been the underlying reason for applying a public-interest standard to broadcast regulation. It's time to replace the content regulation with a public-interest standard based on minimally regulated marketplace forces." ...
I don't know what Krasnow's mission is or what motivates him to issue his 'highly-opinionated' opinion paper but I for one - don't buy it. From the day you become a broadcast student you learn about the FCC's regulation and rule-making role in the licensing of every radio property. Licensing indicates just that. It's not ownership. If you're a responsible, FCC-fearing broadcaster, you carry that with you forever...
Timeline Memories:
1937] Going, going, gone: Margaret Mitchell wins a Pulitzer Prize for her novel "Gone With The Wind"...
1960] Try To Remember: The musical "The Fantasticks" opens off-Broadway, beginning a record run of nearly 42 years and 17,162 performances. I guarantee you it's still playing somewhere. No one sang the signature song better than Jerry Orbach...
1964] Debuted on this date: Gerry & the Pacemakers make their U.S. TV debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" singing "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying."
1973] The new king of the skyscrapers: The Sears Tower in Chicago is completed...
1979] Maggie may, Maggie would, Maggie did: Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister as the Tories oust the incumbent Labor government in parliamentary elections...
1986] Hello to Dollywood: Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood, opens in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dolly owns a radio station there (WDLY) that I used to call on when I was in syndicated radio. DP is quite the active owner as the PD would tell me...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Cheryl Burke (27), Christina Hendricks (36), Christopher Cross (60), Mary Hopkin (61), Greg Gumbel (65), Frankie Valli (77) & Pete Seeger (92)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until the Kentucky Derby, 5 days until Mother's Day & 27 days until Memorial Day...
