VNJ Files Petition to Deny License Renewal for WWOR-TV / My9
In May, 2007, Voice for New Jersey filed a Petition to Deny the License Renewal of WWOR-TV, Secaucus New Jersey. The Petition was filed with the FCC, and is based on WWOR-TV's failure to meet its public interest obligations to its community of license.
VNJ's petition is based on study prepared by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers Univerity, as well as an independent analysis of WWOR-TV's coverage of New Jersey issues by the members of VNJ. The petition notes the following with respect to WWOR-TV:
- Election Coverage: WWOR ran only 13 election stories in the 30 days prior to the 2005 elections. 10 of these stories focused on the New Jersey election, and 9 of those 10 focused on the gubernatorial race. Accordingly, WWOR carried virtually NO COVERAGE OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS.
- News Coverage: WWOR reported LESS THAN 10 HOURS OF TOTAL NEWS COVERAGE in its Issues and Programming Reports covering the first three quarters of 2006. A scant 2.66 hours (27%) was dedicated to New Jersey stories. By way of contrast, 4.72 hours of coverage was dedicated to New York stories-more than 77% more broadcast time.
- Lack of New Jersey Focus: More than 20 years ago, WWOR-TV moved to New Jersey by means of enabling lesislation that mandated, in the words of Senator Bill Bradley, "a New Jersey station [not] in name only. It will serve the people of New Jersey". Despite this clear directive, WWOR-TV fails not only to meet its public interest obligations to the people of New Jersey, but turns its back on the state in terms of its identity. All of the stations recent branding, marketing and advertising has a distinct New York orientation.
More Information: A copy of VNJ's Petition to Deny License Renewal to WWOR-TV is available in.PDF format by clicking on the link below. A second link is provided to VNJ's press release giving a more detailed discussion of this matter.
