WREG TV plans to televise a debate next week that just may place their FCC license in jeopardy. The TV station and the Commercial Appeal is holding the debate but excluding most of the candidates.
The station and the newspaper conducted a poll of only 400 people and state that based on such only the top four in the poll will be allowed to share their platform with the citizens of Memphis in the race for mayor. However the exclusion violates FCC policy and mayoral candidate Jerry Lawler plans on Monday morning to get with his attorney and ask for an temporary injunction against WREG asking that the debate does not take place until the matter can be heard in court.
I spoke with Lawler on Saturday night suggesting to him that the injunction be filed so not just him but all qualified candidates have the chance to be presented. Even if the large number of candidates in the race is crazy every candidate has a right to run and proves that A.C. Wharton is not the favorite of everyone in Memphis.
Section 73.1941 of the Equal Opportunities clause of the FCC guidelines part E entitled Discrimination between candidates states; In making time available to candidates for public office, no licensee shall make any discrimination between candidates in practices,regulations,facilities, or services for or in connection with the service rendered pursuant to this part,or make or give any preference to any candidate for public office or subject any such candidate to any prejudice or disadvantage nor shall any licensee make any contract or other agreement which shall have the effect of permitting any legally qualified candidate for any public office to broadcast to the exclusion of other legally qualified candidates for the same public office.
The FCC under Section 73.1940 defines a qualified candidate for public office as one who has publicly announced his or her intention to run for nomination or office and is qualified under the applicable local,State or Federal law to hold the office for which he or she is a candidate.
One should question why the TV station and the CA want to exclude citizens from presenting their platforms ,is it because what the others may say will make more sense then the so called front runner? ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES SHOULD CONTACT LAWLER AND JOIN IN ON THE INJUNCTION
18 comments:
Well good luck to Jerry Lawler if he can get WREG-TV to be all inclusive in its mayoral debates, but I doubt the station's broadcasting license would ever be in danger of being revoked for not following FCC guidelines. Look for example at radio station WREC with its white racist format that pours hatred against black people into the community every day with professional liars like Ben Ferguson, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Weiner-Savage. WREC, the White Racist Entertainment Channel, may as well be the voice of the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nation. This is the broadcasting license that should be challenged and not the license of a television station that does not want its audience bored by "Joe the Plumber" type mayoral candidates.
But see section (a):
Section 73.1941 [47 CFR §73.1941] Equal Opportunities.
(a) General requirements. Except as other-wise indicated in § 73.1944, no station licensee is required to permit the use of its facilities by any legally qualified candidate for public office, but if any licensee shall permit any such candidate to use its facilities, it shall afford equal opportunities to all other candidates for that office to use such facilities. Such licensee shall have no power of censorship over the material broadcast by any such candidate. Appearance by a legally qualified candidate on any:
(1) Bona fide newscast;
(2) Bona fide news interview;
(3) Bona fide news documentary (if the appearance of the candidate is incidental to the presentation of the subject or subjects covered by the news documentary); or
(4) On-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events (including, but not limited to political conventions and activities incidental thereto) shall not be deemed to be use of broadcasting station. (section 315(a) of the Communications Act.)(emphasis added)
Lawler can file the suit, it won't help him win.
Wintermute, that according to how on the spot coverage is defined. In the case of the debate the coverage is not on the spot coverage but planned coverage of an event.
I wonder if Lawler wants me to start sqawking about my 13 yr. old sister that he had sex with when he was 28? He needs to STFU and pull out of the race because everytime I hear his name it pulls me closer to exposing this fucking pedophile! Brian Christopher is a little boy lover himself! They is lot's of people that can testify to that!
LAWYER IS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
A POLL OF 400 CHOSEN PEOPLE IN A CITY OF OVER A HALF MILLION PEOPLE, IS AS PHONEY AS A BIN LADEN TAPE.
TO THE PERSON THAT TOOK THAT POLL,I AM SELLING STOCK IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE.
HELL,LAWLER COULD BE IN THE TOP FIVE.
GO FOR IT LAWLER. .
You Memphians are retards!
Just because a person is an underdog does not mean they do not have good points to offer on issues. I would like to hear what all candidates have to offer. The media should not try to cast them aside--they should try to promote free speech for all and remain fair minded.
All candidates that are not allowed on that debate should sue.
I am an equal opportunity person and I feel the station WREG should also be an equal opportunity station.
If lawler wants to waste time and money on his efforts let him, but I can save him time and money by just telling him he wasn't going to win anyway, this is not a personal statement or a prejudice statement, AC Wharton will win.
Gman
If Lawler, Mongo, Sharon Webb, and the others who have no chance get to debate, then the serious candidates should ismply not show up and no one will be watching it.
EARLY POLLS ALWAYS SHOW THE CANIDATE PICKED BY THE ESSABLISHMENT IN THE LEAD.
THE PURPOSE OF THESE POLLS IS TO INFLUNCE THE VOTERS.
BOSS DAILEY IN CHICAGO WAS A EXPERT AT DOING THIS.
I HOPE MR LAWLER AND THE OTHERS USE ALL LEAGAL MEANS TO TRY AND BE HEARD.
IT IS A DAMN SHAME THAT "WE THE PEOPLE" CANNOT HEAR ALL OF THE CANIDATES.
I say let him debate.
let all of the canidates debate, and vote for CHARLES CARPENTER.
I say let the fucking pedophile masterdebate, then ask him about the 13 yr old girl. Ask him about his queer son and the little boys. I bet he will walk out and not answer.....the fucking weasel!!!Hulk Hogan should of kilt his ass!
Bad Boy
I do not blame WREG; people just do not have the time and resources to waste on BULLSHIT! Lawler dumb butt knows that he will never be the mayor of Memphis. They should not debate his ass, Lowry, Wanda, carpenter or any one of those D students. Warton and Chumney should be the only candidates.
Lawler need to go find Jimmy Hart and pick a fight. Go wrestle but please leave politics to the A/B students.
Lawler is wasting everybody's time here. Don't nobody wanna see his dumb ass sittin in the Mayor's seat and fo show he's gonna finish near last in the Mayor's race. This is all a publicity stunt. Lawler needs to STFU and be a private citizen.
This whole election is getting silly. Lawler, Chumney nor any other white candidate is going to win. White's remaining in Memphis are stupid. They will waste a vote on a person who as no business being in the race, aka Prince Mongo, and then split the remaining votes up between Chumney, Lawler, and Wharton. The numbers tell the tale. Too many white people fled Memphis and the remaining white votes can't elect a white mayor...... unless all the stars and moons were to line up perfectly.
Herenton told everyone the truth, AC Wharton will win this race with no problem. He is the only candidate that will pick up significant white and black votes.
Unless whites either start moving back to Memphis or untill the white voters wise up and get behind one candidate..... there will be no white mayor.
LAWLER...that's just not right!
Post a Comment