Do Local Broadcasters Serve You?
Special Broadcast on 90.3 WCPN®
Wednesday, July 3, 6AM to 10AM
Call-In Show @ 9AM-10AM

Click here for the photo gallery!

The Federal Communciations Commission is under a court order to reconsider its rules for ownership of TV and radio stations. Critics have charged for years that commercial TV and radio stations don't do enough to serve the public interest. Now, several recent events are bringing the issue into sharp focus for Greater Cleveland. The disappearance of Indians games from broadcast TV, and the campaign to shut down several low-power pirate radio stations have left audiences with questions about owners' use of public airwaves. How do consumers feel about the fact that broadcast media is controlled by a shrinking circle of owners, who face decreasing government restrictions for their programming? On July 3rd, ideastream examined who's serving the public interest on the airwaves. Topics for discussion included:

  • Direct access issues (for example: whether cable companies offer enough opportunity for Do-It-Yourself programming)
  • How FCC rules are changing
  • The degree to which local broadcasters serve the public interest
  • How new technologies are changing our concept of public access

Radio listeners took part in the dialogue during a special hour-long call-in segment of the program that was held from 9 until 10 a.m. Guest panelists included Plain Dealer columnist Tom Feran and David Kanzeg, Senior Director and Station Manager of 90.3 WCPN ideastream. Panelists discussed direct access issues, changing FCC rules, the degree to which local broadcasters serve the public interest, and how new technologies are changing the concept of public access.

Thank you for joining us for a morning full of stories (see below), interviews, plus an hour-long call-in, live from the original public access channel, downtown Cleveland's Public Square, on Wednesday July 3rd on 90.3 WCPN ideastream.

Feedback? Email us at news@wcpn.org.

As part of 90.3 WCPN®'s coverage on Media Access: "Do Local Broadcasters Serve You?", April Baer spoke with management at several local news outlets, to see how they view their responsibilities to the public interest.

RELATED LINKS

Feature Story Schedule

6:20 AM
Critics of corporate radio and the government say radio is not serving the public interest, as it once did. Are listeners being short-changed when it comes to news and public affairs? 90.3 WCPN's Mike West reports.

For more information: Federal Communications Commission; Radio Crow

6:50 AM
Pay a few hundred bucks... you got a show! Is this truly a public access possibility? Or just a home for odd people with some money to spend? 90.3 WCPN's David C. Barnett reports.

7:33 AM
Last year, the promise of the internet radio as an alternative to stale commercial radio seemed limitless. Now, due to changes in music royalty arrangements, many internet (and commercial) radio stations have shut-down. Is the dream over? Was it ever a viable alternative? 90.3 WCPN's David C. Barnett reports.

For more information: Save Internet Radio

7:50 AM
It used to be that traveling across the state or the country and roaming the radio dial would turn up the kind of broadcasts that reflected tastes, interests and needs of local communities. Today, the only bastion left for most community broadcasters is college radio stations that offer local voices an outlet for their talents. We'll visit one college station that's been on the air for 53 years, giving voice to community broadcasters from 15 to 55. 90.3 WCPN's Karen Schaefer reports.

Local College Radio Stations:

8:20 AM
Some airwaves are freer than others. 91.1 WFMU in New Jersey is the oldest 'free-form' radio station in the country. 90.3 WCPN's Janet Babin spoke with WFMU Station Manager Ken Freedman about what exactly a free-form station is.

8:33 AM
Since the invention of commercial television, Congress has required broadcasters to make a commitment to serve the community. But since the mid-1990s, those federal restrictions have been drastically reduced. With the FCC effectively out of the content regulation business, stations-in Cleveland and elsewhere-are essentially working without a net. In theory, communities in Northeast Ohio have almost unlimited power to demand better local TV, but that power has largely gone untapped. 90.3 WCPN's April Baer reports on how the changing TV landscape is treating Greater Cleveland viewers.

For more information: The Alliance for Community Media (a non-profit group formed to assure public access in cable); The National Association of Broadcasters (an industry group page that includes a section on public service); The Media Access Project (a non-profit, public interest law firm which promotes the public's First Amendment right to hear and be heard)

Photo Gallery

90.3 WCPN's David C. Barnett and April Baer broadcast live from Public Square.
Photo by Pete Sereda

The broadcast set-up in the Tom Johnson quadrent of Public Square.
Photo by Pete Sereda

90.3 WCPN's Nancy McAfee spreads the word about WCPN.
Photo by Pete Sereda

The statue of Tom Johnson watches over the proceedings.
Photo by Pete Sereda

Call-in show participants Tom Feran and John Gorman.
Photo by Pete Sereda

Broadcasting a live call-in show from Public Square. From left, around table- April Baer, John Gorman, Tom Feran, 90.3 WCPN's David Kanzeg, and David C. Barnett
Photo by Pete Sereda

The Plain Dealer's Tom Feran was on hand to answer questions from callers.
Photo by Pete Sereda

John Gorman participates in the Morning News call-in show on local media.
Photo by Pete Sereda

Taking a break from the call-in show. That's 90.3 WCPN's Jim Goldurs standing in the middle.
Photo by Pete Sereda