If you're running for reelection in the House of Representatives race, you know, it's very important to you that you be on fairly good terms with the local affiliates in the largest market in your area. I mean you don't want to antagonize them.
The number one lobby that opposes campaign finance reform in the United States is the National Association of Broadcasters.
But having said that, what's happening with campaign finance reform and our political culture is devastating.
One survey that I saw that was published I think in Variety or Electronic Media within the last three weeks says that now the average hour of radio in the United States has 18 minutes of commercials.
The cost of congressional and presidential campaigns has been leaping every two or four years. I think this year it will be 60 percent more than 1996; well over twice as much as in 1992 in the presidential and congressional races.
But having said that, there's also a sea change in attitude towards media.
Local television news, on both radio and television, is so appalling. Makes print journalism look like the greatest stuff ever written.
