Green Party Candidate Demands Equal Time

Green Party Candidate Demands Equal Time
By Mike Rhodes
October 27, 2004
Fresno California

Pappas Telecasting, the company that gave Republican Party candidates free airtime, did some damage control today. In a press release, Pappas described itself as "the largest privately-held, commercial television broadcasting group in the United States," and agreed to give non-monetary, in-kind contributions of airtimes on several of its California television and radio stations to Republican AND Democratic County Central Committees in California.

Holding Pappas Telecasting Companies feet to the fire, John Crockford, Fresno County Green Party candidate for the 29^th Assembly District, showed up at their offices today and requested equal airtime for his campaign. In a letter to Pappas, Crockford said that "I am requesting that I be given free access to your stations’ airtime - under the ‘equal time doctrine’ of federal campaign law - equivalent to that time afforded Mike Villines as a result of the recent contributions made by Pappas Telecasting Cos. to the Republican Party. Crockford added that he will "consider failure to offer free airtime and timely notification to me of my equal access rights to be a violation of federal law and an abuse of the public trust. I will promptly report these violations to the proper regulatory agencies."

Information about Pappas Telecasting donating $325,000 of free air time on their California TV and radio stations for GOP candidates came to light earlier this week. The Media Alliance says in an Action Alert that this is the first instance that they are aware of - that a media giant has given free airtime for partisan ads. The free airtime on their California TV and radio stations for GOP candidates are in some of our state's tightest elections, from Sacramento to San Diego.

The Media Alliance alert went on to say:

This is not about Democrat vs. Republican. Pappas is abusing its access to the airwaves - your airwaves- to sway close state level and congressional elections. Big Media is abusing the public trust to advance their own political objectives - again.

Together we stopped Sinclair. Let's keep the momentum going!

Read the full article about this scandal

ACTION STEPS: Call and Email Pappas Today!

1) Call Pappas Headquarters in Visalia, CA: (559) 733-7800
2) Email and call the nearest station, others too (info below)
3) BCC us at TelltheFCC@media-alliance.org

Ask for the general manager or public affairs director - and of course, please be polite. What to Say/Write: Pappas stations use the public airwaves free of charge and are required by law to provide equal time for the opposing candidates. Giving away airtime to one side is illegal and is an abuse of the public trust. I strongly object to this unfair practice and want you to include this complaint in your Public File. I will follow up with the FCC and will remember this violation when it comes time for license renewals. Thank you.

Station Contact Info:

SF Bay Area/Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto
KTNC 42 Azteca America (925) 686-4242
LJN@PAPPASTV.COM

Los Angeles KAZA 54 Azteca America (818) 241-5400
(ask for email of General Manager)

Fresno/Visalia

KMPH Fox 26 559-453-8820
cpfaff@kmph.com

KMPH 107.5 FM 559-584-1951
programming@kmph.com

*************end of Media Alliance alert.**************

For background about the Pappas story, see these stories from the Fresno Bee:

Tuesday, October 26
Valley broadcaster donates airtime to aid Republicans
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/politics/story/9336466p_10243105c.html

Tuesday, October 26
Democrats call for boycott of Fresno TV owner over campaign ads
http://www.fresnobee.com/state_wire/story/9336726p_10243670c.html

Wednesday, October 27
Democrats press for free airtime on Pappas venues
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/politics/story/9340927p_10247562c.html