December 10, 2004
Hitting Them Where It Hurts
The UCC is continuing to make me proud to be a member. A week after the initial bruhaha over their non-controversial ad being refused by NBC and CBS, they have launched a new website, accessibleairwaves.org to go after the media companies that are refusing to let the public airwaves be used for public debate.
As the UCC reports:
The Office of Communication of United Church of Christ, Inc. is filing challenges on the License renewal of a CBS station WFOR-TV and NBC station WTVJ-TV in Miami for failing to operate in the public interest. This is in response to CBS's and NBC's refusal to air a paid UCC ad on religious tolerance and inclusion because it was deemed "controversial". Broadcasters who use the public airwaves have a responsibility to operate in the public interest. UCC's message is being denied access to the airwaves, therefore the licenses should not be renewed. It's time to take back the airwaves from the big media corporations.
It's sad that a church is stepping into the void where our elected leaders and the morally corrupt FCC fear to tread. I guess, though, that we'll take leadership wherever we can find it. Thank God someone's doing it.
The UCC is urging its supporters to email the FCC in support of their petitions. (HRC is also urging its members to call CBS and complain:212-975-4321) The UCC's efforts might actually be effective given all the news this week on how the FCC allows only a few people to control what we can watch.
Let's hope they don't just allow conservatives to manipulate the system. After all, God is on our side.
