SENATE MEMORIAL 6

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Stephen H. Fischmann

A MEMORIAL

URGING THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO CHANGE THE COVERAGE AREA FOR TELEVISION BROADCASTING IN THE LAS CRUCES-EL PASO TELEVISION VIEWING AREA.

     WHEREAS, the federal communications commission mandates that television stations in El Paso, Texas, encompass the geographic area of Las Cruces, New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, this mandate creates a problem for Las Cruces viewers, in that El Paso news coverage is the only news coverage available to them; and

WHEREAS, local television news coverage of events not

only from Las Cruces, but from surrounding New Mexico cities as well, is vitally important to Las Cruces viewers; and

     WHEREAS, developments in New Mexico government, political offices and culture are not newsworthy in Texas but are of immediate interest and importance to New Mexicans; and

     WHEREAS, even in border areas, such as that between Las Cruces and El Paso, there is a need for critical, state-focused information;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the federal communications commission be urged either to narrow the broadcast area for the Las Cruces-El Paso television viewing area so that Las Cruces can have its own broadcasting sphere of influence or mandate that timely, effective, state-specific news coverage of New Mexico be included in Las Cruces-El Paso television news broadcasts; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the federal communications commission and to all broadcast news media in El Paso, Texas.

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