Chicago - A message from the station manager

Political Ad Transparency Rule Clears Another Hurdle

By Justin Elliott/ProPublica

A new rule requiring TV stations to put political ad data on a government website is one step closer to taking effect, as the Office of Management and Budget approved the measure following a mandatory review.
The Federal Communications Commission rule, passed earlier this year, will require broadcasters to post online information including who buys politics ads and for how much. The information, which should help shed light on the expected tsunami of ad spending by campaigns and outside groups in the election, is currently available only on paper at stations.

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Posted on June 28, 2012

Republicans Back Down On Effort To Defund Transparency Rule

By Justin Elliott/ProPublica

Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee today dropped an effort to defund a new Federal Communications Commission rule that will make political ad data available on the Internet.
The FCC rule, which was okayed by the commission earlier this year and is expected to go into effect sometime this summer or fall, would require TV stations to put detailed records on political ad buys on a new website. The files are currently public but are kept on paper at stations.

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Posted on June 20, 2012

Media Companies Make Yet Another Push To Defang Transparency Rule

By Justin Elliott/ProPublica

A group of broadcasters are formally asking the Federal Communications Commission to soften a new rule requiring TV stations to put political ad data on the Internet.
Washington attorneys for a group of twelve companies filed a petition for reconsideration of the rule, which was approved by the FCC in April and requires online disclosure about political ad purchases by campaigns and outside groups like Super PACs.

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Posted on June 12, 2012

The Ground Round!

By FuzzyMemoriesTV

“Here’s a commercial for the old restaurant chain The Ground Round. Apparently, they are still in business in some form, but certainly not around here. This aired on local Chicago TV on Friday, December 11th 1981.”

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Posted on June 11, 2012

Republicans Vote To Block Transparency On Political Ads

By Justin Elliott/ProPublica

The opponents of a new rule to post political ad information online have opened up another front in a long-running fight, inserting language into an appropriations bill that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from implementing the transparency measure.
The FCC voted in April to require television stations to put detailed data on political ad purchases online. The information, which includes who buys ads, for how much, and when they run, is currently open to the public but is available only on paper at individual stations.
Media companies have lobbied hard against the rule, and the National Association of Broadcasters recently sued in federal court to stop it.

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Posted on June 8, 2012

TV Notebook: Our Heroes

By The Beachwood Media Narratives Affairs Desk

Broadcasts you didn’t see.
1. From Occupy Boston TV.

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Posted on June 7, 2012