Guild Gets Face Time With FCC Dems

GUILD GETS FACE TIME WITH FCC DEMS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
According to the Writers Guild of America, FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein are meeting with union members in L.A. this week to talk about the state of news. The unions have been in extended contract talks with CBS and working without a contract since April 2005. CBS' reported proposal to remove news producers from the union is a key sticking point. The guild argues that removing them from the union threatens their objectivity and independence, and thus the quality of their work. The meeting with the FCC Commissioners follows a letter sent to the FCC three weeks ago by Reps Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Diane Watson (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) asking that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin look into the issues raised by the negotiations in terms of journalistic quality and independence.
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