Public interest groups blast television profits from political ads

Free airtime for candidates urged

From CNN Congressional Correspondent Chris Black

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A coalition of public interest groups called on the public Thursday to demand television networks and local TV stations provide at least five minutes of air time each night to political candidates discussing the issues.

The coalition, organized by the Alliance for Better Campaigns, said at a news conference in Washington that stations are reaping enormous profits from political ads -- but are falling down on their civic responsibility to carry substantive coverage of candidates discussing the issues.

The groups said that while the television industry provided literally seconds a night to candidate discourse this year, local TV stations in the top 75 media markets took in more than $211 million from 286,737 political ads. The broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC were the biggest beneficiaries, since they own 58 local TV stations, mostly in large cities.

Paine Webber estimates that television stations will sell close to $1 billion in air time for political ads for the 2000 campaign. But the coalition said fewer than 50 television stations and no broadcast networks have agreed to even try to comply with the five minute-per-night recommendation, which came from a presidential commission in 1998.

VIDEO CNN's Chris Black looks into the way television stations profit from political advertising Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

The Alliance for Better Campaigns has set up a Web site, greedytv.org, to allow viewers to see how much money local television stations are reaping from political ads and to urge them to e-mail local station managers.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Arizona, said campaign finance overhaul legislation must carry a mandate requiring television stations to provide coverage of candidates.

McCain -- the co-author of a leading campaign finance bill who made the issue a centerpiece of his failed presidential bid -- said television airwaves are owned by the public and federally-licensed television stations have a duty to cover candidates and issues. He said his committee intends to look at reorganization of the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the airwaves, early next year.

Paul Taylor, director of the Alliance for Better Campaigns, said corporate control of the networks and local television stations is one of the main reasons for low compliance with the free air time recommendation, because owners are reluctant to give up any profits.

Taylor said the industry is "arrogant, it's greedy and it's profiteering from politics." He said TV Guide recently refused to run an ad from the Alliance about its five-minute proposal for fear of offending the television industry: The ad will run in the New York Times and other publications instead.