Apr 19, 2005 -- Broadcasters and the Public Interest: Gambling with Our Democracy
Statement of Meredith McGehee at PIPA Press Conference at NAB2005 Trade Show

I want to welcome you to this event with the Public Interest, Public Airwaves Coalition. It's always fun to meet in Las Vegas , but it's especially appropriate for the NAB conference, because the nation's broadcasters are actually gambling with our democracy.

The health of a democratic system depends on an informed, engaged citizenry. And the reality is that television continues to play an enormous role in the process of getting the public the information they need to make their own decisions about the issues of the day, especially at election time.

Despite the growth of new media, an overwhelming percentage of the public still get their information from broadcast - and in particular, from their local television stations.

Unfortunately, plenty of data prove that broadcasters are failing to provide even basic information about local politics and public issues. A study of local news during the last election by the Norman Lear Center clearly shows that the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality continues to drive news decisions. And that means that when citizens across the country went to the ballot box last year, they were essentially forced to shrug their shoulders and roll the dice.

As trustees of a public resource, broadcasters have a statutory obligation to air programming that is in the public interest. But too many in the broadcast industry continue to resist even minor efforts to strengthen the public interest standard - to the detriment of the public, and our democracy itself.

The Public Interest, Public Airwaves Coalition is working to find ways to put real meaning into public interest obligations, especially when it comes to local and civic electoral affairs where coverage is woefully inadequate.

Congress is set to consider legislation dealing with the coming transition to digital television, and the FCC has before it proceedings to deal with public interest obligations and disclosure requirements in the digital age, and could reconsider multicasting must carry.

As technology marches on, and as the legislative and regulatory bodies grapple with those changes, this Coalition is committed to working with all involved - including broadcasters of good will - to make sure the public is getting the information they're entitled to, and that they so badly need.

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Meredith McGehee is the Director of the Media Policy Program at the Campaign Legal Center and a leader of the Public Interest, Public Airwaves Coalition. The Media Policy Program shapes political broadcasting policy by promoting awareness and enforcement of political broadcasting laws through FCC rulemaking proceedings, congressional action, and public education.