Barton, Stearns Against Program-Reporting Guidelines

Rep Joe Barton (R-TX) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) have written Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin saying that proposed new TV-programming-reporting guidelines meant to promote localism may instead promote shows that try to appeal to regulators. They said that while requiring broadcasters to report programs in various categories may not technically be a direct content regulation, it achieves the same end by creating a "perverse incentive to air programming aimed at satisfying the government, and not local communities." They also took the opportunity to weigh in against the FCC's proposal of requiring broadcasters to locate their main studio in their city of licenses. Broadcasters have argued that the rule is outdated since communications between a station and viewers is no longer as limited by geography given the rise of the Internet. They also pointed out that it would cost many broadcasters many millions of dollars to relocate facilities they moved based on the FCC's decision to allow them more flexibility in where to locate them.
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