Obama on media issues

[Peter Loge]

TV Week is continuing their series on the candidates positions on key media issues.

Obama is here: http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/03/candidates_media_stance_sen_ba.php

Of note:
Obama and FCC Chairman Martin were classmates at Harvard Law, sometimes playing basketball together.

More to the point,
"Of the three presidential candidates, Mr. Obama is the only one to prominently showcase media issues on his campaign Web site. Perhaps in a sign of the importance he places on the issue, the Web site lists detailed positions on a number of media issues."

He opposes media consolidation and supports net neutrality. He thinks TV content is sometimes dreck but doesn't appear to favor increased federal intervention, and supports greater public interest obligations.

[Greg Strangis]

I thought this was an interesting observation. From today's HR (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i6871c50863ecd10ff587411927c1b0f1?pn=2) (mentioned elsewhere):


If Arizona Sen. John McCain wins, the scenario plays out much differently. McCain has an intimate knowledge of the commission, having served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee for six years. As head of the Senate committee with oversight of the panel, he knows more about its inner workings than either Clinton or Obama.

"He would be the first former Commerce Committee president," said one industry source. "He will probably have more of an interest in what the FCC does than any president since the agency was created."

[Peter Loge]

Excellent point - this is probably a bit of good news/bad news.

The good news is that he won't take educating. The bad news is that he won't take much educating.

Senator McCain has long advocated for a la carte, has met with independant producers in LA so knows the issues and of course oversaw the 1996 telecomm bill.

From a purely Caucus perspective, Senator Obama is probably the best of the lot because of the three he has expressed the most vocal concern about consolidation but probably has not spent much time thinking about the details.

[Greg Strangis]

Too bad Obama won't make it out the convention.