FCC vs Comcast, and we lose
2007-09-25 17:05:10.802595+02 by Dan Lyke 0 comments
The FCC is "proposing" a $4k fine against Comcast for a "fake news" segment:
According to the FCC filing, on Sept. 21, 2006, CN8, a Comcast-affiliated network, aired portions of a video news release on behalf of "Nelson's Rescue Sleep," a natural sleep-aid product, without saying who paid for the spot.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons, the FCC hasn't historically had control over the content of cable television, so there's some legal question here, but it's also a very interesting (and scary) step down a slippery slope: how many trade magazines would go out of business if they weren't pimping the products of advertising? Hell, what does that mean when the New York Times is pimping WMD stories from the administration in exchange for access?
Seems like there are a bunch of scary-ass questions about federal power that this raises if it goes through.