Karen Brown files 'equal time' complaint against NBC10
Karen Brown, the Republican nominee for mayor, is back at war with NBC10 over a live "town hall meeting" the station hosted with Mayor Nutter last week. She just had her attorney, Republican Matt Wolfe, file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against NBC10.
Karen Brown files 'equal time' complaint against NBC10
Chris Brennan
Karen Brown, the Republican nominee for mayor, is back at war with NBC10 over a live "town hall meeting" the station hosted with Mayor Nutter last week. She just had her attorney, Republican Matt Wolfe, file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against NBC10.
Brown insisted last week that she deserved to participate in Nutter's town hall program, citing a federal law on how stations should provide equal time to political candidates. She protested outside during the event but stopped when NBC10 promised to provide her with some air time.
Brown and Wolfe were not impressed with what NBC10 then offered on Friday -- an appearance on the @Issue program that airs on Sunday mornings. Wolfe, in a complaint he filed today to the Federal Communications Commission, said he had asked the station to give Brown air time "substantially similar" to what Nutter had -- a half-hour broadcast starting at 7 pm on a weekday. Wolfe said Chris Blackman, vice president for news at NBC10, said that would be "inappropriate."
Wolfe noted that Brown appeared on the @Issue program before the primary election with her opponent and was told that if she became the GOP nominee she and Nutter would appear on the program before the Nov. 8 general election.
Wolfe said NBC10 promised to get back in touch by Monday morning to discuss the matter but Brown has not heard anything since then.
UPDATE, 3:10 pm: NBC10 spokeswoman Kathleen Burke just emailed this response on Brown's FCC complaint: "Frankly, we're surprised by this action as we've spoken with Karen Brown's campaign about various options for air time that has comparable viewership. Details are still being worked out, and we're confident that we'll be able to reach a satisfactory resolution."
UPDATE, 3:40 pm: Karen Brown's attorney, Matt Wolfe, said he has spoken with NBC10 and the two sides are negotiating again. Wolfe said the station has changed its offer from an @Issue appearance. "I think they're acting in good faith," he said.
Nutter is the best thing that has happened to this city since Rendell. Now the Council is another story.— phillytransplant- Finally someone with a brain! — gorming
- Karen Brown.....why don't we see anything anywhere about your political agenda???
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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