Can the Media Spearhead CAMPAIGN REFORM?

• Author: Fischer, Raymond L.

The Federal Communications Commission is in a position to impose reasonable public-interest obligations on radio and television broadcasters.

Disillusioned and disenchanted with politics and politicians, the American public finally realizes that campaign financing is out of control. The expense of running for office requires politicians to spend an inordinate amount of time raising money, and they use any means--some unethical and some illegal--to generate campaign funds. Under the present system, both political parties must raise enormous sums of money to cover campaign costs, the most expensive being television time. Congress has debated campaign finance reform for several months without decisive action. If it fails to produce campaign finance reform, perhaps the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can.

At first, both Republicans and Democrats favored campaign finance reform. Among the nearly 70 pieces of legislation proposed, the McCain-Feingold bill had the greatest potential. In introducing the bipartisan bill in the Senate, three Republicans--Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (Ariz.), possibly a future presidential candidate; Fred Thompson (Tenn.), who has been looking into the fund-raising during the last presidential campaign; and Susan Collins (Maine)--were joined by Sen. Russell Feingold (D.-Wis.). Early in September, 1997, all 45 Democrats in the Senate sent to Republican Majority Leader Trent Lott a letter asking that he bring the McCain-Feingold bill to a vote. The letter indicated Democrats were willing to announce their "unanimous support for the only comprehensive, bipartisan approach with a viable prospect of enactment this session."

Lott, however, said that, although 48 senators (the 45 Democrats signing the letter and the three Republicans co-sponsoring the bill) already had agreed to vote yes on the legislation, he would have to have "unanimous consent" before he would bring the issue to the floor. At about the same time, in a speech at American University in Washington, D.C., Pres. Clinton indicated he considered campaign finance reform necessary and would sign the bill it' it reached the White House.

One of the major stumbling blocks to passage of the reform bill is the free airtime provision. When Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.) introduced his campaign finance reform bill the second week in September, he termed the idea of free airtime "unconstitutional," but indicated that he would support the McCain-Feingold bill if the provision were removed. Ultimately, the bill's sponsors removed the free airtime portion. Nevertheless, Republicans threatened to filibuster, and the bill ultimately was deleted from the Senate agenda.

Indicative of the Clinton Administration's keen interest in campaign reform and especially in free airtime for political purposes, in February, 1997, Vice Pres. Gore made public a plan for establishing an advisory group to make recommendations concerning public-interest obligations broadcasters should meet when they receive their new digital television licenses. The Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters assembled for the first time on Oct. 22, 1997. The schedule required it to give Congress recommendations for TV public-service obligations prior to expiration of the committee's charter in the summer of 1998. However, the first and only thing the committee agreed on was that it will need more time to arrive at concrete proposals for public-interest obligations. The committee will report its recommendations directly to Congress and the FCC.

In addressing the advisory group charged with making the public-interest service recommendations in exchange for receiving new services such as high-definition TV and multichannel programming, Gore described his "vision" of more quality educational programming and free airtime for political candidates. He urged both the committee and broadcasters to "pay special attention to the need for free TV time [for political candidates] to be set aside for the survival of democracy.... Many democratic nations have established state-run TV networks to harness power to educate and...