Presidential debates

[n***@att.net]

Hi,

So far, the Presidential debated have been blocked in my area. No broadcaster has made the debates available over the air. I understand that the Presidential debates are available on pay TV. The problem I see is that the broadcasters are not acting in the interest of the community they serve. They have a public oblation, in exchange for their spectrum rights, to make available content that may serve their community. This they have failed. As one radio host says, I am a "low information" voter. I am clueless. Unlike the lase election I did contribute to several election complains; but will not do so this election.
OH, I did try and find the debate on the internet but got very poor video quality with severe buffering. Also why use the Internet where you subject your self to tracking.
Rob

[J G Miller]

Post by n***@att.net
So far, the Presidential debated have been blocked in my area.

Strictly speaking there have been no Presidential debates yet --
just party (Democrat or Republican) candidate debates.

Post by n***@att.net
No broadcaster has made the debates available over the air.

Probably because they will not get good ratings and even worse
they cannot sell advertising air time.

No doubt these TV stations are only too willing to sell advertising
air time for candidate and PAC messages.

Post by n***@att.net
I understand that the Presidential debates are available on pay TV.

Should not the candidates be paying viewers to watch? ;+} ;+}

Post by n***@att.net
The problem I see is that the broadcasters are not acting in
the interest of the community they serve.

The problem is that almost all commercial broadcasters are acting
solely in the best interest of the advertising agencies because that
is the community who they serve.

Post by n***@att.net
They have a public oblation, in exchange for their spectrum rights,

to make available content that may serve their community.

Indeed so and that is what the FCC should be ensuring.

But of course those of a certain political leaning will argue that
such action must not be allowed because it is

{big government, nannystate government , socialist government,
too much red tape government, too many regulations government}

and that the one true way is a purely commercial driven system where
the only thing that matters is maximizing the profitability of each
TV station.

Why not telephone each of your local network affiliates and just
see what reason they give for not broadcasting any of the party
candidate debates?

Do not forget to adjust your insincerity detector accordingly before
each call.

[Jim Wilkins]

On Tuesday, December 15th, 2015, at 11:56:37h -0800, Numeric

Post by n***@att.net
So far, the Presidential debated have been blocked in my area.

Strictly speaking there have been no Presidential debates yet --
just party (Democrat or Republican) candidate debates.

Post by n***@att.net
No broadcaster has made the debates available over the air.

Probably because they will not get good ratings and even worse
they cannot sell advertising air time.
No doubt these TV stations are only too willing to sell advertising
air time for candidate and PAC messages.

Post by n***@att.net
I understand that the Presidential debates are available on pay TV.

Should not the candidates be paying viewers to watch? ;+} ;+}

Post by n***@att.net
The problem I see is that the broadcasters are not acting in
the interest of the community they serve.

The problem is that almost all commercial broadcasters are acting
solely in the best interest of the advertising agencies because that
is the community who they serve.

Post by n***@att.net
They have a public oblation, in exchange for their spectrum rights,

to make available content that may serve their community.
Indeed so and that is what the FCC should be ensuring.
But of course those of a certain political leaning will argue that
such action must not be allowed because it is
{big government, nannystate government , socialist government,
too much red tape government, too many regulations government}
and that the one true way is a purely commercial driven system where
the only thing that matters is maximizing the profitability of each
TV station.
Why not telephone each of your local network affiliates and just
see what reason they give for not broadcasting any of the party
candidate debates?
Do not forget to adjust your insincerity detector accordingly before
each call.

It's not just the media.
http://www.wmur.com/news/statement-on-upcoming-democratic-debate/36919846

[n***@att.net]

Thank you for replying.

Post by n***@att.net
They have a public oblation, in exchange for their spectrum rights,
to make available content that may serve their community.

Indeed so and that is what the FCC should be ensuring.

I filed a complaint to the FCC on this issue. They replied:

" Thank you for filing a complaint with the FCC's Consumer Help Center. Congress granted the FCC general regulatory authority over certain communications services contained in the Communications Act.

While we appreciate the concerns expressed in your complaint, we regret that we are unable to take action on your complaint at this time, because the issues raised do not fall under FCC regulatory authority. "

I have not tried your telephone suggestion; but, I have tried using an email complaint to FOX. Result: IGNORED!
You are correct, this is a candidate debate; but,I am sure the candidates are looking more support. Could over the air viewers make a difference?


I never had cable and never shall. Saved thousands of dollars, even purchased an HDTV (Samsung 55" RPTV) with the savings back in 1998. Saved a whole lot more since.

[J G Miller]

"While we appreciate the concerns expressed in your complaint,
we regret that we are unable to take action on your complaint
at this time, because the issues raised do not fall under FCC
regulatory authority."

That is always the problem -- interpretation of the regulations.

Usually the politicians write the legislation in such a way that
there is always sufficient wiggle room to allow a suitable catchall
escape excuse to be used.

It is only when there is some specific target that needs to be
addressed (usually for political reasons) that suddenly the regulatory
bodies discover that there is something in the fine print which they
can use.

Complaining about a local TV station not carrying programming of
national interest is never going to work though because the regulations
that cover the local TV stations are with respect to local matters.

As far as I am aware there is no requirement for local tv stations
to provide coverage of national matters and it just assumed that
some local tv stations in any market will do this by taking a network
feed of national news because it is an easy and relatively inexpensive
way of padding out the schedule whilst maintaining viewers.

I have not tried your telephone suggestion; but, I have tried using
an email complaint to FOX. Result: IGNORED!

One would not expect anything more that that from a Murdoch owned company.

Could over the air viewers make a difference?

Probably only much nearer the primary election date in each particular
state where the primary election is being conducted.

To be honest the current candidates debates are really for purposes of
maintaining media exposure and practice for the real debates ahead.

By the spring of next year most people will have forgotten anything
they have seen of the performance of the candidates in the debates
held so far.

I never had cable and never shall.

Same here with regard to pay TV in any form cable, satellite, or internet.