[Letter from Mario Marcel Salas to Robert Kiobassa - April 11, 1979] Page: 1 of 2
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Black Coalition on Mass Media
P.O. Box 893
San Antonio, Texas 78293
April 11, 1979
Robert Kiobassa
Federal Communications Commission
1919 M Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Dear Sir,
We understand that KAPE radio in San Antonio Texas called your office
on April 6th for the purpose of determining if a political announcement
constituted a personal attack. Since the decision was reached by telephone
we would like to know if a copy of the telephone conversation is available
or in writing how did the FCC come to the conclusions it did over the phone.
The station says it tried to contact us but did not and v/e did not learn of
it being pulled off of the air until late that afternoon. If a decision can
be made over the phone like that could you please send us a copy of such a
procedure and also the latest copy of your political primer as it pertains
to this particular situation. People in the community have long suspected
KAPE of taking money from politicians for the purpose of pulling spots, though
I don't believe this to be true, the community needs a condemnation of this
conversation and how the decision was reached.
We were told that your office had stated that this was a borderline
case, so if that was the case why v/e re they pulled? In other words did your
office rule over the phone that the add was a personal attack and why?
We would apprec ate any additional information that you could relay
since I have had similiar problems in the past. Back in 1974 the FBI went
to KAPE radio and requested that a PSA be pulled basically because they did
not politically agree with it. Was this legal?
In conclusion does the FCC require a station to make an on the spot
determination of whether or not a political add constitutes a personal attack?
In any event our spots were pulled about 1:07 p.m., April 6, 1979 after
a conversation with the FCC.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Yours truly ,0 *
Mario Salas-Chairperson
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Salas, Mario Marcel. [Letter from Mario Marcel Salas to Robert Kiobassa - April 11, 1979], letter, April 11, 1979; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth290876/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.