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15 minutes on two websites and a few google searches determined the leaders of "a coalition of minority advocacy groups" that filed with the FCC on "retransmission consent" had well over $100M in connections with interested parties. The Hispanic Federation, the National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition claim that missing 1 in 1000 TV programs because of a temporary blackout is a major civil rights issue that would "disproportionately harm low income and minority consumers."

     I'd think FCC officials and reporters would recognize that advocacy like this, far from an organization's goals, smells of a quid pro quo and should be ignored. Somehow, this got through as more than astroturf and got picked up, so I thought to check it out.

     Rainbow/Push got $100M from video provider AT&T for just one program, and millions more in other benefits from cable and telcos. At least it's a real organization that sought the money for education and computers for poor kids. AT&T is a major buyer from Nina Vaca-Humrichouse, Pinnacle Technical Resources Chairman & CEO, who is Chairman of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Cable Association sponsors the Hispanic Federation. Any D.C. reporter who needs leads for real stories to write please ask. There are always dozens I'll never have the time to cover that deserve a writeup.