FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts • Hacker News Board

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#11

Post by dabbledash » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:36 PM UTC

move-on-by wrote: post #3

I can see why the FCC might be hesitant to get involved with these segments and scripts. However, the Sinclair merger should unequivocally be rejected. This business pattern only becomes an issue once you get monopolies and oligopolies. We need competition and variety in our news sources. Oligopolies are extremely dangerous to our democracy.

It would be very hard to view them as a monopoly in any case if you consider all the other media sources they compete with.

I can’t think of the last time I saw broadcast local news.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#12

Post by mieseratte » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:41 PM UTC

mulmen wrote: post #9

floatrock wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be blocked. Just last month for example the administration blocked Singapore-based Broadcom from a takeover bid of Qualcomm on national security grounds. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/technology/trump-broadcom... Not a fan of any of these folks, but if Trump is willing to do a USPS audit pony show just because he's in a kerfuffle with Amazon's WaPo, an international takeover of a large media conglomerat…

Amazon does not own WaPo. This distinction is important.

How about this, the guy who owns the Washington Post is the founder and a major stakeholder of Amazon.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#13

Post by hexenhammer » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:47 PM UTC

I’m not sure why there is all of th controversy. This is not new.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#14

Post by Covzire » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:47 PM UTC

Right wing media has pointed out the same 'creepy talking point synchronicity' happening in the larger mainstream media for many years. Just like with Cambridge Analytica, certain behavior is only raised by the media as a scandal when amateurs try to the same thing the big boys have been doing for years/decades.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#15

Post by chiefalchemist » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:49 PM UTC

r00fus wrote: post #8

beckler wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine if a foreign company bought Sinclair.

What makes you think they're not already somehow manipulated by foreign interests? How would you know?

Foreign interests? Domestic interests? I struggle to see the difference when it's all said and done. In either case the spirit of the republic is spat on. In either case, We The People get some perverted version of a gov said to be: of the people, by the people, for the people.

Death is still death whether by foreign cancer of domestic cancer.

If you trust (e.g.) Wall Street more than you trust (e.g.) The Russians then I have a bridge you might be interested in. Given their presumed loyalty - but ultimately the lack there of - the former's violations are relatively worse.

Let's not be naive.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#16

Post by rhino369 » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:50 PM UTC

dabbledash wrote: post #11

move-on-by wrote: post #3

I can see why the FCC might be hesitant to get involved with these segments and scripts. However, the Sinclair merger should unequivocally be rejected. This business pattern only becomes an issue once you get monopolies and oligopolies. We need competition and variety in our news sources. Oligopolies are extremely dangerous to our democracy.

It would be very hard to view them as a monopoly in any case if you consider all the other media sources they compete with. I can’t think of the last time I saw broadcast local news.

Any justification for censoring Sinclair would apply 100 fold to Google or Facebook.

Its just not constitutional to ban Sinclair for running pro GOP content.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#17

Post by decacorn » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:50 PM UTC

hexenhammer wrote: post #13

I’m not sure why there is all of th controversy. This is not new.

it is new when the POTUS has ties to the new owners of Sinclair. This isn't Russia, and real Americans will keep it that way, thanks.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#18

Post by nasredin » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:51 PM UTC

beckler wrote: post #6

godzillabrennus wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coupled with Citizens United verdict I agree. Also makes it easier for foreign money to influence our elections. Behind the scenes a foreign government can invest in American companies that buy advertising to change the outcome of an election.

Imagine if a foreign company bought Sinclair.

IIRC China recently bought a major Hollywood studio.

Also notice the increase in token Chinese actors in recent blockbusters.

Transformers even had some CCP pandering in the script.

The self-censorship this brings is a real problem.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#19

Post by chiefalchemist » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:52 PM UTC

dabbledash wrote: post #11

move-on-by wrote: post #3

I can see why the FCC might be hesitant to get involved with these segments and scripts. However, the Sinclair merger should unequivocally be rejected. This business pattern only becomes an issue once you get monopolies and oligopolies. We need competition and variety in our news sources. Oligopolies are extremely dangerous to our democracy.

It would be very hard to view them as a monopoly in any case if you consider all the other media sources they compete with. I can’t think of the last time I saw broadcast local news.

True. But out of curiosity, how many people live within the "traditional" broadcast influence of Sinclair media properties.

Re: FCC declines to punish Sinclair for its ‘must-run’ segments and scripts

#20

Post by mabbo » Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 5:54 PM UTC

Covzire wrote: post #14

Right wing media has pointed out the same 'creepy talking point synchronicity' happening in the larger mainstream media for many years. Just like with Cambridge Analytica, certain behavior is only raised by the media as a scandal when amateurs try to the same thing the big boys have been doing for years/decades.

Really? Which news outlets had dozens of news anchors read, word for word, the same script that was given to them by their owners and played as if it was a local independent news story?

It's unprecedented. It's not about which politics the story supports, it's about the media and public being manipulated. Ajit Pai's response shows he either doesn't understand that or wants everyone else to think it's about something else.