Tangle over televised tango:Democrats protest News 12 spot on GOP town cle

[Judi Lynn]

TaTangle over televised tango
Democrats protest News 12 spot on GOP town clerk candidate, prompting channel to make amends

BY RICK BRAND
STAFF WRITER

September 27, 2005

Brookhaven Democrats grew outraged last Thursday when they turned on News 12 television and saw a segment in which lifestyle reporter Chauncey Howell dubbed Republican town clerk candidate Geraldine Esposito "everyone's favorite councilwoman."

In a letter to News 12 Friday, town Democratic chairwoman Marsha Laufer criticized them for "airing a campaign commercial free of charge" 47 days before the election. Laufer requested "immediate action," citing the Federal Communications Commission's "equal time" rules on campaign coverage.

The 97-second piece, which aired 10 times, showed Esposito in her office and town board work session saying she worked till 8:30 at night and returned all her calls. The piece also showed Howell popping gumballs into his mouth from a machine in her office "just like Ronald Reagan" and his jelly beans, and tangoing with Esposito in Town Hall.
(snip)

Election officials in Albany say there is no state law regulating broadcast time given to political candidates. FCC spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher said the Communications Act of 1934 requires stations to offer "equal opportunities" for legally qualified political candidates, but exempts news programs, interviews and documentaries.
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liger0927,0,2530755.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines


Yes, it's Geraldine Esposito, in the middle.
http://www.brookhaven.org/press_room/view_press_release.asp?document_id=86&year=2002

(click on image at link for a huge photo
of Geraldine dancing like the wind)

[Javaman]

1. news 12 is the biggest joke on L.I. nothing but repuke asskissers...

the cablevision CEO's (who happen to be repukes)who own news 12 were voted the worst bosses in America two years ago.