Sen. Rockefeller Draws Criticism For Comments On Eliminating MSNBC, Fox News

Rockefeller

Sen. JAY ROCKEFELLER's comment that he would like to see the government eliminate MSNBC and FOX NEWS has drawn criticism from several quarters.

ROCKEFELLER (D-WV) told a Cable and Broadcast subcommittee hearing, "There's a little bug inside of me which wants to get the FCC to say to FOX and to MSNBC: 'Out. Off. End. Goodbye.' It would be a big favor to political discourse; our ability to do our work here in Congress, and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and more importantly, in their future."

RTDNA Digital Media Editor RYAN G. MURPHY wrote, "What ROCKEFELLER is suggesting with his statement is that the views presented on FOX and MSNBC have no place in the news consumers' world and, because they are not 'quality news,' the government should intervene. Simply put, that's absolute censorship and undermines having a diverse flow of information in the market. It also destroys market-based competition among the networks. This is AMERICA, right?"

And SALEM RADIO NETWORK host MIKE GALLAGHER noted that ROCKEFELLER's wife, PBS affiliate WETA-TV/WASHINGTON CEO SHARON PERCY ROCKEFELLER, is a longtime public broadcasting supporter and executive, presenting a conflict of interest for the Senator. "I'd love to get my hands -- and we will, we shall -- on WETA's annual budget from taxpayer subsidized income....Let's ask them how much taxpayer money JAY ROCKEFELLER's wife's television station gets. And he wants to shut down FOX NEWS CHANNEL?... How dare this U.S. Senator advocate shutting down FOX NEWS?... He owes an apology, and he needs to acknowledge that he was wrong."

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