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WUNC-TV documentary targeted by Judiciary Committee

Submitted by scharrison on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 1:22pm

And it hasn't even been aired yet:

The subject of the documentary is Alcoa, which is seeking renewal of its federal license to operate hydroelectric generating stations on the Yadkin River. The Perdue administration has opposed the license renewal before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and wants the legislature to pass a bill that would create a way for the state to purchase the hydro plants.

This raises all kinds of questions about the relationship between branches of the government -- in this case, legislative versus executive, in that UNC-TV is an agency overseen by the UNC Board of Governors. And it also involves the power of the state versus the academy.

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Comments

I don't see it as a problem if that state Senate committee...

Submitted by denno on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 1:54pm.

wants a copy for information purposes. But if the purpose is to block or delay any airing of this documentary, then there is a BIG problem for the public who supports PBS, and even for those who don't. Yeah, I agree, that they should air it as soon as possible.

Stranger still

Submitted by scharrison on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 6:30pm.

Apparently there is no documentary per se, only filmed footage destined for other uses:

UNC-TV spokesman Steve Volstad said the station has no documentary about Alcoa. He said the material is planned for use in a series of reports for the show "North Carolina Now." "No documentary is contemplated at this time," he said.

Something is afoot, and I'll bet my shoelaces (I really need them) it has to do with the State's legal battle against ALCOA, as opposed to the "public health" information Hartsell claims it is.