FCC, McCain Push for More Election Coverage

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. television and radio broadcasters should expand coverage of the upcoming election and offer more public affairs programing, Federal Communication Commission Chairman Michael Powell and Sen. John McCain said on Wednesday.

The two called on News Corp. Ltd.'s Fox, Walt Disney Co.'s ABC, Viacom Inc.'s CBS, General Electric Co.'s NBC and the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents local affiliates, to do more to inform voters.

"We challenge all local broadcast television and local broadcast radio stations to ensure they are providing their local communities with significant information on the political issues facing the community, candidates' campaign platforms, and candidate debates during this election year," they said.

McCain and Powell cited a study that found most local broadcasters mainly focused only on campaign strategies and polling data instead of individual issues.

"Stories on campaign platforms and in-depth coverage of candidate debates truly assist voters in making an educated choice," the two said in letters to the networks and NAB.

The two did commend some broadcasters who have already pledged to boost their coverage for the upcoming election. Political observers have said the presidential race could be as close as the contest in 2000.

McCain, an Arizona Republican, has been garnering his own spotlight in recent election coverage, as recently as Wednesday denying that he would cross party lines to run with presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry to unseat President Bush.

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