My Best Idea ! cc Obama

[jaksavage]

Ever.

Our airwaves have been hijacked and we could take them back.

5 minutes of every hour on every station is dedicated to public service announcements.

These announcements could easily be demographic specific.

Teams of PSA producers could travel around North America in RVs and work with locals everywhere to make healthy responsible examples and lessons for TV and radio too, consistantly, everywhere.

Schools and other organizations could be involved.

Easy cheap and effective.

[tomreedtoon]

1. What do you mean "is"? Don't you mean "should be?"

Didn't you hear? Saint Ronald ended the requirement to air public service announcements, or to do anything to promote civic causes in the broadcaster's community. Of the few PSA's that still air, they are usually promotional co-sponsorships by the TV/radio station and a select group of advertisers.

The only entities that use real PSA's are the networks, to provide something in the local station's breaks if the local stations can't run commercials, to keep them from putting on dead air. And assuming the broadcaster is doing his job and running commercials, those PSA's never actually air.

You can't get around it that simply. You need to force the FCC, Congress and the new President to require TV stations to serve the local public interest. You need to restore the Fairness Doctrine. In other words, you need to get all the people bickering over Obama's sideshow opening act to pay attention to a REAL issue. Good luck.

[WyoHiker]

2. "are supposed to be" n/t

[tomreedtoon]

3. No, they aren't even "supposed to be."

Not under the current rules. "Should be" applies, because that is the ideal situation that existed before Reagan deregulated broadcasting.

Do you know what happened when that deregulation occurred? It took the soul out of broadcasting. Back when the laws required broadcasters to pay attention to their community, that tied them to community interests. When those laws were destroyed, broadcasters just worked to make money. They became as soulless as bankers, car manufacturers and Republican Presidents.

Restoring broadcast regulation would pave the way for television to mean something besides infomercials again.

[jaksavage]

4. Exactly !

The airwaves belong to us and if they are willing to pay bajillions to lobbiests, they can afford to squeeze a few minutes each hour.
Involving the nation with roving recorders, gives people an outlet for expression.
It would be the ultimate reality show.