Monday, May 18, 2009
FCC - Federal Complete Control
Washington Post writer Cecilia Kang has a piece up: FCC Reviewing Arbitron's New Radio Ratings Device
“The Federal Communications Commission yesterday launched a review into whether a Columbia-based broadcast research firm undercounts minority radio listeners.”
Here’s a kind of Rorschach test for you: what was your first thought when you read that?
Without getting into name-calling, I’ll just note that this conservative-bordering-on-libertarian immediately wondered where the hell the FCC got jurisdiction over Arbitron. If your first thought was more about your concern for the alleged undercounted listeners then I’m going to guess we have very different ideas about the role of the federal government. Ms. Kang probably leans towards the latter as she exhibits no curiosity as to why anyone would have previously allowed the FCC to investigate the data gathering behind advertising decisions.
Anyway, I’m fairly certain that the FCC is just trying to further expand their sphere of power here and that applicable rules and regulations allow them no such jurisdiction. I'm also fairly certain that most of Washington does not consider that a matter for concern.
“The Federal Communications Commission yesterday launched a review into whether a Columbia-based broadcast research firm undercounts minority radio listeners.”
Here’s a kind of Rorschach test for you: what was your first thought when you read that?
Without getting into name-calling, I’ll just note that this conservative-bordering-on-libertarian immediately wondered where the hell the FCC got jurisdiction over Arbitron. If your first thought was more about your concern for the alleged undercounted listeners then I’m going to guess we have very different ideas about the role of the federal government. Ms. Kang probably leans towards the latter as she exhibits no curiosity as to why anyone would have previously allowed the FCC to investigate the data gathering behind advertising decisions.
Anyway, I’m fairly certain that the FCC is just trying to further expand their sphere of power here and that applicable rules and regulations allow them no such jurisdiction. I'm also fairly certain that most of Washington does not consider that a matter for concern.
