Bring Back The Fairness Doctrine

Are you aware of the fact that as of September 19, 2015, five people have officially filed in Annapolis as a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate? I am one of them. Rep. Edwards and Rep. Van Hollen are not included in the five since they have not formally filed for candidacy. If you aren’t aware of this, I’m not surprised.

Here’s why. The media is not fair and the media is not balanced. The media believes what makes for a credible candidate is the amount of money the individual is able to raise. And, the media attaches importance to the political experience the person has. An individual’s Ideas and character are discounted by the media.

Well, I do not engage in raising million of dollars for a campaign because campaign contributions are legalized bribes. I do not take any campaign contributions. Furthermore, I am a teacher; I am not a career politician. My being fed up with crooked politics has translated into a new idea – actually trying to stop the moral bankruptcy in Maryland government and bring ethics into its place.

Since the media is not giving the JAFFE MOVEMENT the attention it merits, I have taken actions. I filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission.

_____________________________________________________

To: Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
and Members of the Federal Communications Commission

PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

I and the students listed below are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission make the following recommendation to the U.S. Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation –
The state of affairs now show a need to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine.

The biased, mean-spirited, know-it-all members of the news department of WBAL TV in Baltimore have completely forgotten their ethical responsibility to inform their viewers about the ideas and moral character of ALL citizens running for political office.

One blatant example is Ralph Jaffe’s candidacy for United States Senate. The WBAL TV station has been derelict in its responsibilities to provide the viewers comprehensive information about Ralph Jaffe and the JAFFE MOVEMENT.

This is our complaint against station WBAL TV in Baltimore.

We urge you take our request seriously.

Respectfully,
Ralph Jaffe

(Please note that 4 of the students are African American and all of the students are over age 21.)
Aasya Amaatur-Salaami
Henry Feldman
Janet Goldberg
Brenda Goldfinger
Mark Greben
Freda Jaffe
Margaret Jones
Kenny Klein
Sam Levin
David Neff
Shirley Payne
Diedro Pode

attn: Robert Baker, Assistant Chief Policy Division Media Bureau
Gary Schonman, Assistant to Mr. Baker

cc: Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Andy Green, editor of The Baltimore Sun
John Fritze, writer for The Baltimore Sun

_________________________________________________
To: Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
and Members of the Federal Communications Commission

PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

I and the students listed below are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission make the following recommendation to the United States Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation –
The state of affairs now show a need to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine.

The biased, mean-spirited, know-it-all members of the news department of WJZ TV in Baltimore have completely forgotten their ethical responsibility to inform their viewers about the ideas and moral character of ALL citizens running for political office.

One blatant example is Ralph Jaffe’s candidacy for United States Senate. The WJZ TV station has been derelict in its responsibilities to provide the viewers comprehensive information about Ralph Jaffe and the JAFFE MOVEMENT.

This is our complaint against station WJZ TV in Baltimore.

We urge you take our request seriously.

Respectfully,
Ralph Jaffe

(Please note that 4 of the students are African American and all of the students are over age 21.)
Aasya Amaatur-Salaami
Henry Feldman
Janet Goldberg
Freda Jaffe
Margaret Jones
Kenny Klein
Sam Levin
Brenda Goldfinger
Shirley Payne
David Neff
Mark Greben
Diedro Pode
attn: Robert Baker, Assistant Chief Policy Division Media Bureau
Gary Schonman, Assistant to Mr. Baker

cc: Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Andy Green, editor of The Baltimore Sun
John Fritze, writer for The Baltimore Sun

__________________________________________________

To: Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
and Members of the Federal Communications Commission

PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

I and the students listed below are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission make the following recommendation to the United States Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation –
The state of affairs now show a need to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine.

The biased, mean-spirited, know-it-all members of the news department of WMAR TV in Baltimore have completely forgotten their ethical responsibility to inform their viewers about the ideas and moral character of ALL citizens running for political office.

One blatant example is Ralph Jaffe’s candidacy for United States Senate. The WMAR TV station has been derelict in its responsibilities to provide the viewers comprehensive information about Ralph Jaffe and the JAFFE MOVEMENT.

This is our complaint against station WMAR TV in Baltimore.

We urge you take our request seriously.

Respectfully,
Ralph Jaffe

(Please note that 4 of the students are African American and all of the students are over age 21.)
Aasya Amaatur-Salaami
Henry Feldman
Janet Goldberg
Brenda Goldfinger
Mark Greben
Freda Jaffe
Margaret Jones
Kenny Klein
Sam Levin
David Neff
Shirley Payne
Diedro Pode

attn: Robert Baker, Assistant Chief Policy Division Media Bureau
Gary Schonman, Assistant to Mr. Baker

cc: Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Andy Green, editor of The Baltimore Sun
John Fritze, writer for The Baltimore Sun

_____________________________________________________
To: Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
and Members of the Federal Communications Commission

PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

I and the students listed below are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission make the following recommendation to the United States Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation –
The state of affairs now show a need to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine.

The biased, mean-spirited, know-it-all members of the news department of WRC TV in Washington, D.C. have completely forgotten their ethical responsibility to inform their viewers about the ideas and moral character of ALL citizens running for political office.

One blatant example is Ralph Jaffe’s candidacy for United States Senate. The WRC TV station has been derelict in its responsibilities to provide the viewers comprehensive information about Ralph Jaffe and the JAFFE MOVEMENT.

This is our complaint against station WRC TV in Washington, D.C.

We urge you take our request seriously.

Respectfully,
Ralph Jaffe

(Please note that 4 of the students are African American and all of the students are over age 21.)
Aasya Amaatur-Salaami
Henry Feldman
Janet Goldberg
Brenda Goldfinger
Mark Greben
Freda Jaffe
Margaret Jones
Kenny Klein
Shirley Payne
Sam Levin
David Neff
Diedro Pode

attn: Robert Baker, Assistant Chief Policy Division Media Bureau
Gary Schonman, Assistant to Mr. Baker

cc: Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Andy Green, editor of The Baltimore Sun
John Fritze, writer for The Baltimore Sun

_____________________________________________

To: Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
and Members of the Federal Communications Commission

PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

I and the students listed below are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission make the following recommendation to the United States Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation –
The state of affairs now show a need to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine.

The biased, mean-spirited, know-it-all members of the news department of WUSA TV in Washington, D.C. have completely forgotten their ethical responsibility to inform their viewers about the ideas and moral character of ALL citizens running for political office.

One blatant example is Ralph Jaffe’s candidacy for United States Senate. The WUSA TV station has been derelict in its responsibilities to provide the viewers comprehensive information about Ralph Jaffe and the JAFFE MOVEMENT.

This is our complaint against station, WUSA TV in Washington, D.C.

We urge you take our request seriously.

Respectfully,
Ralph Jaffe

(Please note that 4 of the students are African American and all of the students are over age 21.)
Aasya Amaatur-Salaami
Henry Feldman
Janet Goldberg
Brenda Goldfinger
Mark Greben
Margaret Jones
Kenny Klein
Sam Levin
David Neff
Shirley Payne
Freda Jaffe
Diedro Pode

attn: Robert Baker, Assistant Chief Policy Division Media Bureau
Gary Schonman, Assistant to Mr. Baker

cc: Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Andy Green, editor of The Baltimore Sun
John Fritze, writer for The Baltimore Sun

__________________________________________________

Addendum to PETITION TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Further insight into the evidence for my claim can be obtained by the following:
*Check the data for the election 2016 in the Maryland State Board of Elections website to determine the number of candidates who have officially filed for US Senate candidacy in Maryland. You’ll find that, as of 8-17-15 Rep. Edwards and Rep. Van Hollen have not even formally filed in Annapolis, and yet the TV stations consistently talk about their comings, goings, and doings. As for the other candidates including myself, the TV stations have failed to provide viewers with any information about them.

*Make a phone call to the TV station, hear for yourself, and ask them specifically how much coverage they have given to the campaigns of Ralph Jaffe or any of the other candidates excluding Rep. Edwards and Rep. Van Hollen.

*Read the letter in the Baltimore Sun entitled, “Where’s the news we need to know about?” 8-17-15. The salient point of this letter strikes a similar chord to my complaint

The criteria that station WUSA TV and the other stations use for determining the seriousness of a candidate revolves around the amount of campaign contributions/bribes the candidate is able to raise. The stations look the other way and refuse to give credence to the ideas and character of the candidate. It is this distorted philosophy that allows career politicians to deceive and con the viewers which in turn denies the viewers the important information they are entitled to about those outside of the Washington circle – the non-career politicians. The end result – corruption in government with morally bankrupt career politicians and a messed up state and country. Is it any wonder that people are fed up? They are fed up with government and they are fed up with the media.

TV stations and newspapers are not properly fulfilling their role in public service, that is to inform and educate the public by providing viewers with ALL the information, not a prejudiced picture of bits and pieces. The TV station has become quite adept in presenting an unfair, unbalanced, and discriminatory reporting of the candidates at the expense of the viewers who are being denied a fair, balanced, and equitable coverage of all who are running for office.

Ralph Jaffe

.___________________________________________________
BRING BACK THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE – FOLLOW UP

No surprise! My petition fell on deaf ears! Here’s the response of the Federal Communications Commission.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20554

September 21, 2015

VIA EMAIL TO: rjaffe4@verison.net

Ralph Jaffe
7618 Carla Rd
Baltimore MD 21208

Re: Complaints against: WBAL Hearst Television, Inc., Licensee of Station
WBAL-TV, Baltimore, MD; CBS Television Licenses, LLC, Licensee of Station
WJZ-TV, Baltimore, MD; Scripps Media Inc. Licensee of Station WMAR-TV,
Baltimore, MD; and WUSA-TV, Inc., Licensee of Station WUSA(TV),
Washington, DC

Mr. Jaffe:

This is in response to your complaints against the above-referenced commercial
television stations submitted to the Commission via emails between August 17 and 24, 2015. You allege that the television stations have failed to provide adequate coverage of your candidacy for the office of United States Senator from Maryland.

The commission’s role with respect to program content is very limited. The Commission has stated, “(t)he First Amendment to the United States Constitution and section 326 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, prohibit the Commission from censoring program material and from interfering with broadcasters’ freedom of expression.” 1 As a consequence, the decision as to what may be included in a broadcast news report generally is a matter within the discretion and good faith judgment of each licensee.2

Based on the information that you have provided, we find no basis for taking action against any of the stations referenced above.

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.61 (c) of the Commission’s Rules,3 your complaint against the referenced television stations ARE DISMISSED.

Sincerely,

Gary Schonman
Special Counsel
Policy Division
Media Bureau

_________________________________________________
1 In the Matter of Complaint Against Various Broadcast Licensees Regarding Their Airing of the UPN
Network Program “Buffy the Vamire Slayer” on November 20, 2001, Memorandum Opinion and Order 19, FCC Red. 15995, 15996 (2004), citing U.S. CONST., amend. 1; and 47 U.S.C.{ 326(2002).

2 See Letter to Richard L. Emge, Esq., et al., from Barbara A. Kreisman, Chief Video Division, Media
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 25 FCC Red. 10044 (MB 2010).

3 47 C.F.R. {0.61(c)

______________________________________________

And…..Here’s my response to the TV media

I am sending you the response of the Federal Communications Commission regarding my complaint against your station for unfair coverage of the Jaffe Movement and campaign for the United States Senate.

Please remember I am a teacher, not a politician. My campaign for this office, as well as the previous elections in which I’ve been a candidate, are used as teaching devices to show my students what the corruption is and to give students the opportunity to try to replace the corruption with real, ethical reform.

Your unwillingness to cover the Jaffe Movement has been unfair not only to my students, but also to your entire viewership. You are failing to provide your viewers with all of the facts about all of the individuals seeking the office of U.S. Senate, including myself. Rather, you are injecting station bias by pandering to career politicians who take campaign contributions(bribes) and deceive their constituents.

Obviously, the response from the FCC gives you a right of way to continue your irresponsible coverage. The FCC response gives me just more evidence of the moral bankruptcy so evident in the government and in the media.

Legally, you are in the right, but ethically speaking, there is one principle that should be of major concern to you. The integrity of your station can be at stake if you continue to deny the validity of the Jaffe Movement.

Please note my website, fedupwithcrookedpolitics.com. When you click on the box, Baltimore Sun articles, you will see 65 articles about the JAFFE MOVEMENT, with the most recent being October 20, 2015.

The Baltimore Sun is starting to get it? Will you?

Ralph Jaffe
Teacher and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
Baltimore

 

 

 

 

What A Mess

The article, “Mayor Drops Psych Firm,” 8-8-15, further substantiates my previous claim that the state of Maryland now is a leaderless state. Just look at the government officials, agencies, and groups who have been a party in the questionable practices of this outfit. The mayor suspended the contract of the psychology firm because of allegations the firm’s employees rushed to judgment on the screenings of potential Baltimore police officers – a contract costing the taxpayers $750,000.

Then the President of the City Council along with the members have expressed their concern about the recent allegations and are calling for a full accounting of the $750,000 contract. And they should be alarmed because aren’t they the ones who give approval to the Mayor’s financial requests?

Also in this frenzy is the Maryland State Police. How ludicrous it is that they continue to retain the Psychology Consultants Associated on a probationary status.

What’s more, we learn that the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the state attorney general’s office are also involved
in the fiasco.

The last time I checked the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Maryland State Police Department come under the auspices of Governor Hogan.

With all these parties involved in this apparent screw up, how can we not say, What a mess! And what a rip off of taxpayers’ money! How much more proof do we need to validate the fact that the current elected officials spell out a leaderless state?

Ralph Jaffe
Teacher and Democratic Candidate for US Senate Baltimore

A Leaderless State

After reading the articles, “Chaotic Response in Wake of Riots,” 7-28-15 and “Mayor: City Not Ready for Riot,” 7-29-15, along with listening to and watching the coverage of the April riots on the various media, how can anyone refuse to acknowledge the fact that we have a LEADERLESS STATE.

Both the mayor and the governor are at fault. Why weren’t they better prepared and more equipped to deal with the situation? Didn’t they learn any lessons from similar events that occurred in cities prior to the April 2015 riots? What happened to the idea of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Did they have to wait until tragedy actually struck Baltimore before waking up to the reality of the rioting in our city?
And now the question is are they really awake? Are we any better prepared and more equipped now than we were in April?
Saying that they are learning from it and working to improve does not really offer any assurance that they will be in a more effective position to tackle the protests and riots should they occur again.

Clearly, these so-called current leaders just give more credence to the fact that career politicians are more concerned about themselves, taking actions that will benefit themselves rather than doing what is best for the citizens of Maryland. A classic example took place on the night of April 27 between the Mayor and the Governor. Both politicians were wrong.

Wanting to placate her constituents, the Mayor made an announcement to allow the looters space to do their thing – clearly, a wrong public position to take. The governor, on the other hand, wanted to call out the National Guard, an act opposed by the Mayor. The mayor was too concerned with the political consequences and the effect on her political career if she chose to call out the National Guard. Such an action she thought would more than likely offend her constituents. As for the Governor, he did not want to take the initiative and go over the head of the Mayor to call out the Guard (which legally he could have done) because such action he thought would cost him many Democratic votes he needs for re-election. Hence, both candidates were looking out for their own political safety at the expense of the people whom they are supposed to serve.
The bottom line – a blame game and a con game whereby each is blaming the other for what transpired and each is conning the public into thinking that things will be better. But, in actuality we have no assurance that our leaders have really learned lessons because these are 2 politicians more concerned about their own political gains rather than gaining the trust of the people whom they serve.

Ralph Jaffe
Teacher and Democratic Candidate for US Senate
Baltimore

Moral Bankruptcy in Government Makes News Again

What a choice

Your front page article, “Sheila Dixon Announces She Wants To Be Mayor,” 7-2-15, elicits the following response. Both Mrs. Sheila Dixon and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake have been created by our “Maker” and therefore deserve our respect. However, as career politicians their behavior warrants very little regard, if any at all. The conduct of one can be labeled as dishonest. The activities of the other can be marked as incompetent.
What a choice for the voters of Baltimore City!

The suggestion you offer in your editorial, “Dixon’s Return,” 7-5-15, the entry of more people in the race for mayor such as Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young, state Sen. Catherine Pugh, Del. Jill P. Carter, and Councilmen Nick Mosby, Carl Stokes and Brandon M. Scott, will only serve to add to the field of morally bankrupt career politicians who promote their own self-interests instead of catering to the needs and best interests of the citizens of Baltimore City.

Editorial Board – WAKE UP! Stop giving these phony politicians more opportunities to “con” the voters!

Ralph Jaffe, Teacher
Baltimore