Copps Seeks Public Value Test for Station Renewals

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, December 2, 2010 | 4:05pm CT

Speaking at Columbia University's graduate school of journalism in New York on Thursday, FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps proposed what he calls a "public value test" to replace the current licensing process for radio and television outlets. Copps said the test "would get us back to the original licensing bargain between broadcasters and the people, in return for free use of airwaves."

Copps has been a force against media consolidation since his confirmation in 2001. He criticized the current license renewal process and said a "public value test" would strengthen the process and to foster "a renewed commitment to serious news and journalism."

"Increasing the human and financial resources going into news would be one way to benchmark progress. Producing more local civic affairs programming would be another. Our current children's programming requirements -- the one remnant of public interest requirements still on the books -- helped enhance kids' programming. Now it is time to put news and information front-and-center," he added.

The test would also include "enhanced disclosure" about each station's performance, along with "meaningful increases in local programming" and evidence of a "detailed plan for news coverage" in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Copps continued, "The goal here is a more localism in our program diet, more local news and information, and a lot less streamed-in homogenization and monotonous nationalized music at the expense of local and regional talent."

He added, "Homogenized music and entertainment from huge conglomerates constrains creativity, suppresses local talent, and detracts from the great tapestry of our nation's cultural diversity." He suggested that 25 percent of prime time programming should be locally or independently-produced.