CA TV Stations Take $100 Million From Insurance Companies Against Props 45 & 46 But Some Did Not Cover Measures, Says Consumer Watchdog Campaign

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- TV stations in a dozen California markets skipped coverage of consumer friendly Propositions 45 and 46, despite the fact that $100 million from insurance companies flooded stations with advertising revenue. The ballot measures hold insurance companies and dangerous doctors they insure accountable.

"TV stations have been the beneficiaries of a deceptive ad campaign funded with more than $100 million by the health insurance industry that opposes Props 45 and 46," said Liza Tucker of Consumer Watchdog "They should all have covered both measures so that voters going to the polls today would have been informed enough to make decisions based on full and accurate information."

Consumer Watchdog published a list of stations ignoring Prop 45, Prop 46, or both yesterday. In a last minute flurry of coverage that began late yesterday afternoon and went through this morning, several Fox stations including Sacramento and San Diego ran stories with biased, one-sided reports aiding the insurance company advertisers. Consumer Watchdog forwarded the biased coverage to the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the station's licenses.

The updated list:

Did not cover Prop 45: Eureka – KAEF, KBVU, KVIQ; San Luis Obispo - KSBY; Salinas – KSBW; Chico - KCVU, KHSL, KNVN; Bakersfield –KGET; Santa Maria – KCOY, KKFX; Thousand Palms – KESQ, KPSP; Palm Desert – KUNA, KDFX.

Did not cover Prop 46: Bakersfield - KGET-TV; Chico - KHSL-TV; Fresno - KFSN-TV; Monterey, Salinas - KSBW-TV, Palm Springs - KESQ-TV, KMIR-TV; Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo - KSBY-TV, KCOY-TV.

Prop 45 allows the state insurance commissioner to review and reject health insurance premiums that are excessive to protect six million individuals and small businesses that must buy their insurance on the open market. Such a system for home and auto insurance has saved consumers more than $100 billion since voters passed Prop 103 in 1988.

Prop 46 would require random drug testing for doctors and suspension of their licenses if caught using; require doctors to check an already existing prescription drug database before prescribing narcotics in order to prevent doctor shopping; and adjust the 38-year-old cap on malpractice awards for pain and suffering to match the rate of inflation.

Paid for by Consumer Watchdog Campaign - Yes on 45 and 46, a coalition of consumer advocates, attorneys and nurses.  777 S. Figueroa St., Ste. 4050, Los Angeles, CA  90017. Major funding by Consumer Watchdog and Greene, Broillet & Wheeler, LLP.

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog Campaign

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