KNOE-TV Slapped With $8,000 FCC Fine
July 18, 2005
By Tony Sanders
Billboard Radio Monitor
http://billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/format/talk/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000980695
An investigative reporter for Noe Corp.s KNOE-TV (chan. 8) Monroe, La.,
twice recorded and later broadcast the voice of a man who was the subject
of a police-corruption investigationbut the reporter failed to give the
individual prior notice of the intent. In one case the recording was of the
outgoing voice mail message of the man. In the other case, the recording
was of a brief conversation in which the reporter identified himself and
the man immediately hung up.
The FCC says both instances of taping and broadcasting the information were
a violation of the Commissions rules. The FCC has said in past rulings
that an outgoing voice mail message constitutes a conversation and cannot
be broadcast without permission. It also noted that it makes no difference
if the violation occurs in the context of news gathering.
The FCC originally hit Noe with a $10,000 fine but reduced that amount to
$8,000, $4,000 per violation, based on the broadcasters history of
compliance with Commission rules.
Noe also owns a news/talk and top 40 combo in the market under the same calls.
================================
George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927
antunes at uh dot edu
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