Annual Cocktail Party and Fundraiser Set

The Women's Republican Club of Winchester and the Winchester Republican Town Committee will again co-sponsor their annual Cocktail Party and Fundraiser which will be held on Friday September 16,2011. The social scheduled to begin at 6:30PM will offer an assortment of tasty morsels and snacks, some of which are home-made, for the enjoyment of the members and guests attending the event.

Several candidates, office-seekers and elected officials have been invited and are expected to offer remarks. The evenings featured speaker will be Shanna O'Connell, State Representative for the 3rd Bristol District. Mary Z. Connaughton, former Candidate for State Auditor, and now Director of Finance and Administration at the Beacon Hill Institute, an independant non-partisian, privately-funded research organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts, will be a special invited guest.

Other candidates for local office are expected to attend. The cost per person is $35.00 paid in advance - or - $40.00 if paid at the door. Those wishing to attend are requested to reply by September 8, 2011 to Marie Baratta at (781) 729-8313.

FCC Formally Erases Fairness Doctrine

The Fairness Doctrine, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented in 1949 to require broadcasters to present both sides of controversial issues, became less relevent as cable TV exploded in the 1980's. So the FCC dropped the rule in 1987, but it never erased the language implementing it - until August 22nd of this year, that is.

The agency formally dumped more than 80 media industry regulations. Other rules the FCC tossed include the "broadcast flag" digital copy protection rule that courts overturned and those pertaining to the cable programming service tier rate.

Monday's action constituted part of the commission's response to an executive order from President Barack Obama implementing a "government-wide review of regulations already on the books" to strike unnessary rules.