Putting Candidates to Test on Media

PUTTING CANDIDATES TO TEST ON MEDIA
[SOURCE: TVWeek, AUTHOR: Ira Teinowitz]
Sen. McCain (R-AZ) has the most extensive record on media issues of the presidential candidates. He was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005, putting him at the forefront of media regulation. The committee oversees the Federal Communications Commission, and for eight years he played a major role in any FCC-related legislation the committee considered. He also was co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform measure, which included a limit on how much TV stations could charge for commercial spots close to an election. Sen. McCain often has complained, sometimes bitterly, about the lobbying power of broadcasters, but generally has sided with them on major votes. He has shown mixed support for cable, repeatedly criticizing price hikes. Sen. McCain voted against overturning former FCC Chairman Michael Powell’s 2003 bid to dramatically loosen media ownership rules. He’s generally supported the push to ease limits on how many TV stations and newspapers a single company can own in a given market. Sen. McCain was one of three Senate sponsors last year of legislation that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from reintroducing the Fairness Doctrine, the policy requiring broadcasters to offer competing viewpoints in a balanced manner when presenting controversial issues.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/03/putting_candidates_to_test_on.php
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