Free Press, Others Seek to Join FCC in NAB Political File Suit

Free Press, Benton Foundation, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, New America Foundation and the United Church of Christ have filed a motion in the D.C. U.S. Court of Appeals asking to join the Federal Communications Commission's side in a broadcaster suit against the FCC's online political file rules.

The general thrust is that they help challenge licenses or represent the public in FCC actions on issues, including having actively participated in the rulemaking that produced the FCC's online political file requirement. In addition, they said, they would be materially harmed if the FCC rules were reversed because, they say, "the new enhanced disclosure rules substantially enrich and advance each organization's research, advocacy, outreach and public-education efforts by making the information contained in television broadcasters' public files more accessible via the Internet."