The E/I mandates by the fcc are absolutely crazy! This is just another example of the government interferring with private business with out of control and over reaching mandates, that confuse stations and can hurt their profits and scheduling.
I don't like the big conglomerates anymore than most people, in this case I would site with the companies. The paperwork and the public file are enough to make one lose their mind. If you mess up one thing in that public file you will be fined. I know a station that got a hefty fine from the fcc for messing up the time on a report. It was an honest human error, they put 9AM down instead of 10AM on a Sunday after the clocks were changed. They had the right start time, they got confused and put the old time for the end. It looked as if they were an hour short on paper even tho they were not in actual time.
I don't mind the fcc wanting some completely safe childrens programs run. No parent wants to have to explain the ed/Viagra commercial to their child on a Saturday morning. This law is just plain bad and nonsence. Every digital subchannel has to run E/I?
Why would a weather station or an adult movie station like THIS(not adult as in dirty) have to play cartoons on Saturday and Sunday mornings. On stations with multiple subchannels the same programs are aired on the differnent channels in different order at times.
It along with infomercials makes Saturday and Sunday morning a virtual tv wasteland. Some of the cartoons and kids shows are so outdated no kid would watch them. He Man, She Ra are cartoons of course but are they really of educational value?
Then they are for the most part told to forget about profit and only run what the fcc says is enough spots.
This is state controlled media. In this time of financial hardship and multiple digital station's this is bad for tv.
This rule should be repealed, if this applied to stations that are geared towards kids, then I could see the logic. It isn't tho, it is disruptive and in the case of the game pre emption or inability of the station to air a standard show or paid program, it effects those on a small budget.
I don't like infomercials, yet some stations need the money, if I don't like them fine, the station should have the say, not me not Washington.
I know early morning on Sunday is not a great sales time for tv and radio, I know stations that would like to run a religious program on Sunday morning yet can't fit them in live due to this. They don't want a tape delay.
Why should a station have to play a cartoon instead of a religious show or big game because of fcc rules. I doubt the fcc reinburses station's for any lost money ;-)
To get back to the requirement, why don't some stations scatter 1 half hour E/I shows at off weekday times and seperate them so there isn't fours in a row of E/I?
I would think that stations should be able to run PSA's scattered thru the wake aimed at children to fufill the time needed.
I'm not anti kid I just find this hypocritical. While the current First Lady and First Ladies before her are promoting exercise and healthy food, they say kids need to sit in front of the boob tube for four hours.
The fcc needs to repeal this rule, it is just wrong.
I know that many stations wanted CA status as opposed to low power for the channel protectio, is it true if they remained an LP or translator they are exempt from this rule?
