To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish an office on victims of media bias.

August 1, 2001

Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. HONDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish an office on victims of media bias.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Ethnic, Minority, and Gender Bias Clearinghouse Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHNIC AND MINORITY AFFAIRS SECTION.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 5 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 155) is amended by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:

`(f) OFFICE ON VICTIMS OF MEDIA BIAS-

`(1) OFFICE REQUIRED- There shall be established within the Commission an office on victims of media bias. For the purposes of this subsection, the term `victims of media bias' includes persons or groups who have been or may be discriminated against in their depiction or employment in broadcasting based on their race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, or other characteristic.

`(2) FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE- The office on victims of media bias shall--

`(A) establish a clearinghouse for complaints, grievances, and opinions relating to radio, television, and cable television broadcast programming and their depiction of victims of media bias;

`(B) collect, analyze, and prepare information from public and private agencies relating to the portrayal of victims of media bias by radio, television, and cable television broadcast entertainment and news programming, and furnish such information, upon request and without charge, to public and private agencies that serve the needs and interests of such victims;

`(C) collect, analyze, and prepare information from public and private agencies relating to the employment of victims of media bias in the production of radio, television, and cable television broadcast entertainment and news programming, and furnish such information on the Internet, and upon request and without charge, to public and private agencies that serve the needs and interests of such victims;

`(D) conduct an annual conference which shall be designed to focus public attention upon the images of victims of media bias depicted by radio, television, and cable television broadcast programming, discuss the impact which these images have on such victims, and encourage the participation of such individuals and public and private organizations that serve the interests of such victims; and

`(E) prepare and transmit to Congress an annual report which details the activities of the office on victims of media bias, including a compilation of all complaints, grievances, and opinions filed under paragraph (A).

`(3) ADVISORY COMMITTEE REQUIRED- The chairman of the Commission shall establish an advisory committee to assist the office on victims of media bias in implementing the annual conference pursuant to paragraph (1)(D). The advisory committee shall be composed of 15 members chosen from among radio and television broadcasters and program producers, educators, representatives from the mental health community, and leaders from communities of victims of media bias.'.

(b) TIME LIMIT- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish the office referred to in section 5(f) of the Communications Act of 1934 as amended by this Act.

SEC. 3. SAVINGS PROVISION.

Nothing in this Act shall authorize or allow the Federal Communications Commission or any other government agency to regulate or otherwise control the content of news or entertainment programming on radio, television, cable television, or in print media. This Act in no way is intended to diminish the protection of free speech and the press guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

END