Look For Big Names at Obesity Meeting

By John Eggerton
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

There is no venue set yet for the obesity task force meeting planned for next week (Feb. 14) in Washington, but look for some big names to be in attendance.

The task force was created by Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) in concert with a bipartisan FCC contingent that includes Chairman Kevin Martin and Deborah Taylor Tate, both Republicans, and Democrat Michael Copps.

They are all expected to attend the meeting with food producers and marketers. Also expected is Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who has been a leading proponent restricting marketing to children.

The goal of the committee, according to Brownback, is to find industry solutions rather than new regulations, an approach applauded by the ad industry.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.