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Monday, April 20
Watch Poisoned Waters on PBS Frontline, then Join Save The Iowa River (STIR)
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 20 Apr 2009 09:10 PM CDT
Watch Poisoned Waters on PBS Frontline, Then Join Save The Iowa River (STIR)
 waterkeeper.org
(Dr.
Alta Price's weekly Health Care Reform Update, normally seen here on
Tuesdays will run tomorrow, then return to the regular Tuesday slot
next week. Please check back tomorrow for Alta's health care update).
Thanks to Molly Regan for this reminder. Please copy and paste this page into your e-mail program and send it far and wide.
TUNE IN (Tuesday) night to see WaterkeeperAlliance Chairman, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and board member, Rick Dove! They are featured on a special PBS FRONTLINE program, Poisoned Waters, airing Tuesday, April 21st, 9 to 11 pm ET/8 to 10 pm Central. [Note from Molly: "Rick travelled to the QuadCities area twice to help us fight
Triumph Foods from building a slaughterhouse in Rock Island County, IL]
Poisoned Waters is an investigation and report card on two iconic American waterways — Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound. But much of what is shown could be about the Great Lakes, the Everglades, America’s great rivers, and other waterways as well.
In addition to assessing the scope of America’s polluted-water problem, Poisoned Waters highlights several cases in which grassroots citizens’ groups succeeded in effecting environmental change. This is what Waterkeeper Alliance is all about!
For local times and television stations and other information on the broadcast of Poisoned Waters and to see a two-minute trailer, click here
TUNE IN tomorrow night to see Waterkeeper Alliance Chairman Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and board member Rick Dove! Record the show! It’s been years since American television devoted two hours of prime time to a high profile, in-depth report on the state of America’s waterways and the new perils they face.
Victory for Localism! Hope for Iowa Radio
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 20 Apr 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Victory for Localism! Hope For Iowa Radio
 Mediaweek.com
Note from BFIA: Media reform activists are already celebrating, but BFIA would like to say to progressives everywhere: This is really big news.
For background information as to why Iowa progressives should be excited about this, please see a couple of items in BFIA archives:
Localism Key to Correcting Conservative Talk Radio Imbalance,
Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Copps on Broadcast Localism, as well as
The Public and Broadcasting: How to Get the Most Out of Your Local Station on the FCC site.
There are twenty-three Clear Channel-owned radio stations in Iowa, including WHO 1040 am Des Moines, WMT 600 am Cedar Rapids, and KXIC 800 am, Iowa City. Imagine the possibilities if these conservative talk-only stations have local programming boards. Well, that's what Clear Channel has in mind for all of its stations, seeing the handwriting on the wall and getting a head start on increasing public service and local accountability, before the FCC tells them to, anyway.
And, we just can't resist pointing out that the mainstream media (including all those Clear Channel stations) have not breathed a word about this - we had to find out from a trade journal.
Clear Channel Launches 'Localism' Initiative
-By Katy Bachman
As the Federal Communications Commission mulls new "localism" initiatives for broadcasters, Clear Channel Radio has made a preemptive move by announcing Wednesday (April 15) an expanded local community affairs policy for its stations.
The renewed commitment includes expanded charitable partnerships, increased airing of public-service announcements, more local public-affairs programming in better dayparts, the creation of local advisory boards and 24/7 access to station management for local officials.
The FCC, which in February floated several proposals to require stations to better serve local communities, including establishing community advisory boards to consult stations on programming, couldn't have spelled it out any better.
Practically out of the FCC playbook, CCR will establish "local advisory boards" in each of its markets, a practice CCR began five years ago in select markets.
"We are materially increasing our commitment to community programming, increasing our accountability and broadening our public-service contributions in every local market we serve," said John Hogan, president and CEO for CCR. "We believe when radio focuses on service to local communities, it is radio at its finest."
Going forward, stations will be required to air a total of 12 minutes of PSAs daily and 84 minutes per week. Community leaders will be invited to submit information for future PSAs. In addition, the company will choose one national cause to be highlighted company-wide each quarter for coordinated campaigns. The first national campaign will support Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.
On the programming side, CCR plans to expand and improve its local public affairs programming by moving them to higher-audience time periods and using higher-profile talent. Stations will also create short local segments, 60 second to five minutes, that will run during the week, as determined by local program directors.
(click here to go to Mediaweek)
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