Ruling Throws Media For A Curve

THE OLYMPIAN

A judge's ruling that two talk-radio hosts' on-air activity could be considered campaign contributions has attracted concern that the decision could have unintended effects on other media.

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Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham ruled Friday morning that on-air advocacy of the anti-gasoline-tax initiative by KVI Radio hosts John Carlson and Kirby Wilbur was in effect a political campaign contribution that needed to be listed as an in-kind donation by I-912 sponsors.

KVI had issued a news release May 9 bragging about the success of Wilbur and Carlson in helping to "promote the launch of a new gas-tax initiative." snip

it was also revealed that KVI's legal team was writing the initiative.


"Wickham gave few details explaining his decision. But he indicated his ruling applied to the airtime when the hosts were soliciting money and promoting the campaign -- and not their on-air interviews and discussions of issues."

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"The ruling comes at a time the Federal Elections Commission is wrestling with whether bloggers, who write partisan accounts posted on Internet sites, are subject to reporting in-kind donations, Johnson said."


The article is interesting, thought provoking, and TIMELY... what is good for bloggers is good for talk radio.....