[grc] rules on candidate coverage in election season

[Tom Klammer]

Indeed re: equal time-But I'm not having a candidate on.   This communication may be unlawfully collected and stored by the National Security Agency (NSA) in secret. The parties to this email do not consent to the retrieving or storing of this communication and any related metadata, as well as printing, copying, re-transmitting, disseminating, or otherwise using it. If you believe you have received this communication in error, please delete it immediately.
      From: Brian Edwards-Tiekert <brian at kpfa.org>
 To: Adrienne Lauby <adrienne at sonic.net> 
Cc: Tom Klammer <tellsomebodyradio at yahoo.com>; GRC List <grc at maillist.peak.org> 
 Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 3:15 PM
 Subject: Re: [grc] rules on candidate coverage in election season
   
Equal Time for candidates who request it *is* an FCC requirement, not a matter of internal policy:  Citation: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/315

What Adrienne passed on from Carrie Core appears to be the internal policy at WMNF. KPFA's internal policy on elections coverage has been to proactively *offer* equal time to opposing candidates, so there's less room to get tripped up by the FCC reporting requirements (and more fairness to candidates for office in our signal area). 

Details: http://www.kpfa.org/system/files/kpfa%20guidelines%20for%20elections.doc

-Brian

On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 11:29 AM, Adrienne Lauby <adrienne at sonic.net> wrote:

Sadly, I believe the FCC no longer cares how you cover elections.

But there are 501c3 rules:
At any time, and particularly during an election year, stations and programmers need to steer clear of endorsing candidates.  This applies to public affairs hosts and music programmers.  The station is not allowed to endorse or oppose a candidate for public office. When a volunteer programmer is on the air, that person is the station.  A disclaimer is of no use.  We could lose our 501(c)(3) status.  Volunteers can speak their minds off the air, but on the air they have to follow the rules as if they were the station.

You do not instruct people how to vote.

You do not announce whom you are voting for.

Ballot measures are not the same as candidates.  You can be opinionated about them.

----------------
KPFA has a policy of requiring equal time for candidates if they ask for it.  I think that's something we should all do.

But, programmers aren't required to give equal time to people with opinions about candidates.  They may interview a journalist or another "expert", or even a candidate staff person without triggering the equal time rule.  (I don't recommend the last option)

The policy is attached.   The explanation is worth reading.  Thanks to Carrie Core and Randy Wind.

Adrienne

On 10/14/14 6:09 AM, Tom Klammer wrote:

Pat Roberts is facing serious challenge for re-election to US Senate from Kansas from an independent.
Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson wrote this piece about him called "Pat Roberts - Congenital Liar."  "...As Roberts desperately struggles to cling to office, he is trying to hoodwink the voters one more time. He never expected that the fact he doesn't have a Kansas home would be exposed. But he's been misleading about more than his address for years -- and getting away with it. In Kansas, he's practiced deception about living there, but in Washington he's lied systematically. Through his deceit, he bears responsibility for the tragedy of Iraq and the crimes committed by the intelligence agencies for which he had oversight responsibility?"
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern has written and spoken in a similar vein.
What would a community radio broadcast need to be concerned about or steer clear of in terms of FCC rules in this election season in a show about these issues?
Tom Klammerwww.tellsomebody.us  This communication may be unlawfully collected and stored by the National Security Agency (NSA) in secret. The parties to this email do not consent to the retrieving or storing of this communication and any related metadata, as well as printing, copying, re-transmitting, disseminating, or otherwise using it. If you believe you have received this communication in error, please delete it immediately.
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-- 
Brian Edwards-Tiekert
KPFA 94.1 FM
1929 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
510.848.6767 x699
www.kpfa.org