FCC complaint regarding KUER, a department of the University of Utah

Here is a copy of a letter I have sent to the FCC:

December 16, 2010

 

Federal Communications Commission

445 12th Street SW

Washington, DC 20554

Re: Complaint regarding educational & government run FM broadcast station KUER

Reporting a violation of the following federal laws:

U.S. Constitution, First Amendment, “right to petition”

FCC rules under U.S. Title 47, Section 73.1202 and Section 73.3527 which state that stations must be prepared to receive comments from the public. And also under any other relevant sections which the FCC may be aware of.

Greetings,

Recently I sent a letter to station KUER, a telecommunications department of the University of Utah, complaints about two programs they broadcast: "To the Best of our Knowledge" by Wisconsin Public Radio, and "Krista Tippett on Being" (formerly known as "Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett”).

In response the director of KUER (KUER is a department at the University of Utah – a part of the State of Utah) sent to me the following email:

--------quote beings of email from the KUER station manager

To: Jonathan

From: John Greene <jgreene@kuer.org>

Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 11:48:05 -0700

Jonathan,

You have made your views abundantly clear. Please refrain from e-mailing me any further.

John Greene GM

--------end of quote of the email from the KUER station manager

The fully reasonable interpretation of this letter from the KUER station manager is this: “shut up and go away.”

Such a statement, and such an email violates my rights as a citizen, both to petition my government for a redress of grievances (since KUER is a department at the University of Utah and the call letters KUER are licensed by the FCC to the University of Utah, and the University is a part of the State of Utah), and also my rights under FCC regulations which state that broadcast stations must be willing to receive comments from the public about their programming.

Having the station manager tell me to “…refrain from e-mailing…”  them in the future is not only rude, obtuse, insolent, and intransigent, I submit to you that it also violates my rights, both under the Constitution, and my rights under FCC rules that require stations receive & document public comments.

Having Mr. Greene, a man employed by the State of Utah, and who directs a State-run radio station, to effectively tell me to shut up and go away is inappropriate and must be challenged. Thus I request the assistance of the FCC in this matter.

Sincerely,

Jonathan