FCC Deregulation

Over the past weeks, millions tuned in to watch the so-called talking heads of cable news discuss the significance of race in America. Much of this debate—arguably touched off by a now famous interview with former President Carter—surrounds the belief, rightly or wrongly, that criticism of President Obama boils down to racism.

I learned recently that the deregulatory policies of the Reagan administration made possible the expansion of these clearly biased TV news shows, some of which have been a rallying cry for viewers on the right and a source of public outcry for those on the left.

Historian Sean Wilentz writes that since its inception in 1934, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maintained a “fairness doctrine” requiring that “all broadcast licensees not only present important controversial public issues, but do so in an honest, fair, and balanced way.”

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the fairness doctrine in Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC in 1969.

In 1987, the FCC dropped the stipulation. The anti-government values of the Reagan administration no doubt influenced the federal agency’s decision to do away with the decades old doctrine.

Wilentz argues that the deregulation of the FCC had the negative effect—although he first acknowledges that certain deregulation of the telecommunications industry in the 1980s likely paved the way for the growth of the Internet in the following decade—of permitting “blatantly right-wing political programming” like the Fox News Network.

Wilentz claims that liberals lacked the funds or determination to match the operations of conservatives at Fox. Liberal talking heads, to be sure, benefit from the abolition of the fairness doctrine as much as their counterparts on the right.

Nevertheless, the extreme commentary blamed for fanning the flames of recent, angry public displays—scenes that certainly offer an important piece to our understanding of the current state of race relations in America—took root, at least in their constant presentation on cable television, during the Reagan years.

The final word goes to FCC chairman from 1981-1987, Mark S. Fowler, who said:

The television is just another appliance. It is a toaster with pictures.

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On an unrelated note…

My roommate showed me this a couple months back and I saw a “Patrick Chewing” billboard the other day. Great ad. Had to plug.

Anyways, we’ll get back to the regular scheduled programming later today.

On the Bookshelf

Historian Sean Wilentz’s The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008 provided immeasurable insight during my research last year. I’m rereading his book now and plan to address some of his arguments in this blog.

In the meantime, definitely check out his work, if you’re interested.

Here’s an NYT review.

On an unrelated note…

Michael Jackson at the White House – 1984

No, but seriously, I forgot one point in my last post about the significance of the cover photo that kicked this whole blog off.

D.C. was one of two territories in the nation (Minnesota being the other) that cast their electoral ballots for Reagan’s opponent in 1984.

What’s interesting then is that Thompson and many of his players became so attached to Washington. They grew up there, they lived there, they were, and still are, fixtures of the greater D.C. community.

To this day there isn’t a street in our capital city that John Thompson can walk down without someone recognizing him. Some asserted that had he run, Washingtonians would’ve elected the former coach to be their mayor. Certainly a debatable argument but one that nonetheless gets the point across.

Again, this makes the contrast of the Sports Illustrated cover all the more apparent.

Reagan posed with Thompson and Ewing, two figures so affiliated with a city for which the president’s reelection was far from a landslide.

1984: A Landslide?

Alright alright, Reagan won big. There’s no denying that. He skunked Mondale in virtually every corner of America. A very public skunking indeed—much worse than the one my sister gave me the last time we played cribbage.

Me, after learning the definition of muggins.

However, an ABC News exit poll taken after the election found that roughly nine out of ten African American voters supported the Mondale-Ferraro ticket in 1984.

While this may be unsurprising considering voting patterns among blacks in previous elections, the statistic is still important to consider in any discussion of race relations during the 1980s.

The fact that about 90% of eligible blacks voted against a president overwhelmingly supported by “Reagan Democrats” shows a deep divide in how these voting blocs envisioned their country and its leadership.

And, with this blog’s topic in mind, let’s take that one step further.

Remember the photo op with Thompson, Reagan, and Ewing? Give up?

Alright, I’ll give it to you one more time:

Remember the photograph was taken on November 12, 1984, six days after Reagan won reelection. Sports Illustrated and its editors maintained that they initiated negotiations for the meeting between the president and Georgetown basketball.

Still, there was at least some political calculation in the decision for Reagan to pose with perhaps two of the most recognizable African American figures at that time immediately following an election in which less than 10% of black voters wanted him to serve another term.

And it is the underlying contradiction in Reagan posing with these two individuals that makes the cover, I think, that much more striking.

Morning in America

“It’s morning again in America,” announced the hopeful, grandfatherly narration of “Prouder, Stronger, Better,” one of the most effectual television ads produced by Reagan’s 1984 reelection campaign.

more about "The Living Room Candidate – Commercia…", posted with vodpod

The ad’s confident message sat well with many Americans, especially so-called “Reagan Democrats”—a group often associated with ethnic, Catholic, and perhaps union working white voters who long supported Democrats, but by the 1980s increasingly pulled the lever for Republicans. This political shift towards a more conservative brand of popular politics was termed the “Reagan Revolution,” and it has really effected the electoral landscape of America to this day.

The 1984 election was called a landslide. Reagan and his veep George H.W. Bush handily defeated Walter Mondale and his running mate Geraldine Ferraro with 58.8% of the vote, 49 states, and 525 out of a possible 538 electoral ballots. The Democrats captured only two territories: Mondale’s home state of Minnesota and D.C.

What would Landslide Lyndon say to this:

You have to hand it to him, Reagan that is:

(“Prouder, Stronger, Better” is embedded from The Living Room Candidate. If you’re interested in the history of television ads for presidential campaigns, you’ll want to check that site out. It has all of them…FOR FREE!)

Phi Slama Jama

was the nickname of the University of Houston basketball squad during the first half of the 1980s.

The Houston Cougars earned the appellation with their ankle twisting fast breaks, high flying dunks, and shot blocks.

Notable brothers of Phi Slama Jama, “Texas’ Tallest Fraternity,” included Clyde Drexler, Larry Micheaux, Akeem Olajuwon, and Michael Young.

Larry Micheaux holding the warmup jersey he wore as a Cougar

Extraordinarily, the Cougars played in three straight NCAA Final Fours from 1982-1984.

Houston provides an example of another college team with skilled African American players, many of whom grew up in urban areas. Along with Georgetown, the University of North Carolina, and several other teams, the Slama Jamas spearheaded the national rise of college basketball during the early 1980s—years when expanded television coverage for the first time broadcast “March Madness,” or the yearly NCAA tournament, to millions of Americans.

Despite similar characteristics between Georgetown and Houston, both exceptional basketball programs, the perceptions of the two teams were markedly different.

As written in other posts, reporters often cast Georgetown in a negative light. Houston, on the other hand, never received such extensive criticism, or support for that matter.

The difference in the media coverage between the two teams begs the question “why?” I’ll admit that I don’t fully know the answer. Perhaps a couple weeks of watching archived footage would reveal some clues. I’m guessing that the Hoyas cocked and threw more fists than Houston.

Another reason why may be John Thompson, a coach whose name, like his players’, became synonymous with the loaded adjectives used to describe his style: imposing, intimidating, and Idi Amin-like.

At the same time Georgetown retained a broader fan base, particularly among African American youths, than its counterparts from Houston. After all, a fresh blue and gray Starter jacket had much more fashion appeal for the Arthur Agees of America than a Slama Jama jersey did. Without taking away from the undeniable skill of the Cougars, this may be attributable to Georgetown’s higher level success. (Georgetown competed in three NCAA championships from 1982-1985, and defeated Houston to win the ’84 title.) Or, maybe we can look to the Hoyas’ hard-nosed defense.

Even more compelling, the denigration of Georgetown basketball likely fueled the affinity younger generations of blacks—a demographic well accustomed to being the underdog—had for the team.

With all that said, now, I must give the conclusion to one of the most phenomenal NCAA performances ever:

…Houston won 94-81.

Reagan to Schoolchildren

A lot of news recently about Obama’s “Back to School” speech.

Reagan had a few words of his own for schoolchildren on November 14, 1988—months away from the end of his presidency.

Here’s an answer he gave on education opportunities for minorities:

Still looking for numbers on the hand the Reagan administration lent to “negro” colleges…

Victor Page

Victor Page, a D.C. native, played basketball for two seasons from 1995-1997 at Georgetown. During his freshman year he played alongside Allen Iverson.

Page was a product of inner city strife during the 1980s. His father died of a drug overdose. His mother died from AIDS. He was a talented youth, but tormented by his desire to hang on “the corner.”

Watch this news report on Page from earlier this year:

more about "Victor Page", posted with vodpod

The now wounded Page describes his former coach as a “father figure.” In 1980 Thompson said he found notions that he played a fatherly role for his players offensive to their actual parents. Nonetheless, it’s interesting that Thompson was seen as a father-like figure during a time when sociologists like William Julius Wilson documented increasing rates of impoverished African American children growing up in single mother households.

The embedded clip also asserts that Thompson “rescued” Page from the streets. Such a claim demonstrates the limitations of the coach’s reach. After all, even if Thompson wanted to, he couldn’t go out into the Washington community and offer a basketball scholarship to every student. Georgetown basketball was certainly a symbol for black pride, but not a vehicle for black empowerment. Coach Thompson and his players ultimately had little impact on the structural realities with which African Americans struggled during the Reagan Years.

Gosh you’re tall

And what a meeting it was.