By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 10-10-18
FCC commissioner Michael O’Rielly pitched Kentucky broadcasters on his proposal to deregulate children’s TV rules.
Generally broadcasters support a lighter touch, but O’Rielly’s pitch was delivered with some tough love.
In a speech to the Kentucky Broadcasters Association, O’Rielly ticked off stats showing that kids are increasingly tuning in to mobile devices and tablets for content and less to kids TV.
“I say this not to denigrate broadcasters’ future which I believe to be bright, but to state facts that are a market reality,” he told them.
But he was not done with the market realities. “[L]et’s have an honest conversation about quality,” he said as as way to segue into the point that commercial TV did not produce a panoply of great educational and informational programming in response to the FCC‘s kids TV rules, which required three hours a week of E/I programming in 30-minute increments and with commercial limits. » Read More