From: Roger Evans <moviestuff@cyberjunkie.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 09:36:42 +0000
Fwd Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 12:51:47 -0500
Subject: Re: Military Retirees and Secrecy


>From: Bob Young <YoungBob2@aol.com>
>Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 23:15:24 EST
>Fwd Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 08:42:21 -0500
>Subject: Re: Military Retirees and Secrecy

>>From: moviestuff@cyberjunkie.com
>>Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 19:13:05 +0000
>>Fwd Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 10:42:39 -0500
>>Subject: Re: Military Retirees & Secrecy

Previously, I had written:

>>[TV] stations are not going to cooperate unless someone has
>>iron clad proof. A sure fire way for a station to go out of
>>business
>>is to butt heads with the government without anything to back
>>them up. Don't forget, a station must have an FCC license and
>>the government is under no obligation to renew it in a timely
>>manner, if at all, if they do not want to. Being off the air for
>>only a month or two can be irreversibly devastating.

Bob responds:

>Roger, can you cite any example of a Television station in
>America having its license yanked or suspended in this manner
>because it broadcast something it couldn't prove?

>Please be specific with examples.

Hi Bob,

I know of no station that had its license yanked or suspended.
Of course, that's not what I said, anyway. Yanking or suspending
a license would be far too obvious a retaliation in the public
eye. The most subtle way for the government to enforce anything
in the broadcast arena is to delay or deny renewal of a licence
by way of "lost paper work".

If you look back to the late 60's and early 70's, there was some
concern by the government regarding violence on television.
During that time period the government did, indeed, threaten
networks with non-renewal or delayed renewal of their
affiliates' licenses unless they got their act together. It
worked like a charm. Ever notice the number of times that
"Mannix" got hit over the back of the head instead of engaging
in a protracted fight? <G>

As I've stated before, the problem isn't what we can prove via
public records, it's what the government does that can't be
traced that is the real threat.

Take care,

Roger Evans