FCC filing reveals Channel 8’s tough talk toward Channel 3

  Anger has no expiration date — at least not Channel 8’s toward Channel 3.
  The Las Vegas Review-Journal has obtained a copy of the countercomplaint by Channel 8 filed last week to the Federal Communications Commission regarding Channel 3’s initial Oct. 7 complaint made against all its competitors — channels 8,5 and 13.
  In it, Channel 8 refers to Channel 3 as a “disgruntled competitor” that’s “misusing” the FCC.
  In that first salvo, Channel 3 charged that last spring, when Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, causing liquidation sales with unusually good deals, its rivals accepted a sales buy from Arrowhead Advertising on behalf of local United Dodge Chrysler Jeep that included a demand for straight news coverage, as well as commercials, without disclosing segments had been purchased. That’s an alleged violation of FCC sponsorship ID regulations.
  Channel 3’s filing included transcripts of their competitors’ stories on the local sales, as well as e-mails between Channel 3’s account executive and an Arrowhead representative referring to the news-coverage stipulation.
  At the time of the initial filing, Channel 8 president and GM Emily Neilson said she was “furious” over the charges. While channels 5 and 13 denied the accusations, as did Arrowhead’s owner, only Channel 8 aggressively countered it with a response to the FCC.
  “(Channel 3) relies on wholly irrelevant information,” Channel 8’s countercomplaint claims.
  “None of (Channel 3’s) ‘evidence’ involves a single fact about KLAS-TV’s actions with respect to either the advertising buy or the station’s decision to send a crew out to cover a newsworthy event ...
  “Despite (Channel 3’s) strong language and accusations, the complaint is based on nothing more than speculative and unsupported claims from a disgruntled competitor. The Commission should not countenance this misuse of the agency’s processes and resources.”