O'Rielly Tells Nader He's 'Not Embarrassed' About FCC Tenure

FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said he’s not “professionally embarrassed” about the state of the TV industry, in a letter to longtime consumer activist and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader posted Monday. “I am proud of the accomplishments of my work and this Commission,” O’Rielly responded to letters Nader sent to all five commissioners in March and in January. The March letter called the FCC “an inert toady” for the radio, broadcast TV and cable industries and Chairman Ajit Pai “a textbook poster boy for future scholars of regulatory capture.” Last month, Nader rebuked commissioners for not responding. "This is not good protocol," Nader told the commissioners. "Remember, the agency that you have been entrusted with is called the Federal Communications Commission, not the Federal Stonewalling Commission." In an interview Monday, Nader said TV content is largely “junk” and the FCC let down the public interest by allowing too much advertising and getting rid of regulations that served the public, such as the fairness doctrine. Licensees are taking advantage of public resources in the form of broadcast spectrum and cable licenses, Nader told us. “They’re using our private property!” Nader said. “I respectfully disagree,” O’Rielly said in his response letter. Nader faulted the other FCC members for not responding. He’s waiting for more responses before deciding whether to reply to O’Rielly.