Politician Complains To FCC Over Free Spots Given Election Opponent By Ohio Station

Complaint

A former local politician in TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OHIO has filed a complaint with the FCC alleging that the station gave her election opponent free commercials before the election.

The NEW PHILADELPHIA (OH) TIMES-REPORTER reports that former County Commissioner BELLE EVERETT alleges that a former employee of WJER RADIO LLC Full Service AC WJER-A-W265DL/DOVER-NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH. MICHAEL ROBERTS (real name MICHAEL ALESIANO, now at LIVING BREAD RADIO Religion WILB-A/CANTON, OH) gave her opponent in last NOVEMBER's election, JOE SCIARRETTI, 12 free ads by giving SCIARRETTI's ads bonus plays; current WJER GM AMY SMITH told the paper that after the situation was discovered, she and then-GM BOB SCANLON gave EVERETT 20 free ads of her own and asked for and received the employee's resignation, which she thought settled the matter.  EVERETT lost the election and her seat on the Commission to SCIARRETTI.

As for why, after receiving free ads and the employee's resignation, EVERETT decided to complain to the Commission, she cited "uncertainty" in the station's handling of the situation, adding that since the station does not record all of its programming she will "never know exactly how many commercials were given to Mr. SCIARRETTI by Mr. ALESIANO.  I’ll also never know if the commercials provided to me were equal to what was improperly given away and if they were played at comparable times of the day. I have a concern that some of my commercials were never aired.” 

SMITH said that EVERETT has been provided with computer logs of the programming and commercials; recordings are not mandatory under FCC rules.

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