The Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy (GRIID), has released data showing that the three broadcast news stations in the Grand Rapids area-WOOD TV, WXMI, and WZZM 13-failed to provide adequate coverage of the August 2, 2005 primary election during the month before the election. GRIID found that channels provided significantly less coverage of the election than they did of crime, a missing boy, and a boater who drowned in Lake Michigan. Most candidates received little more than thirteen to forty seconds of airtime.

GRIID is encouraging people to use the data from the election as a part of their FCC licensing renewal campaign. Every eight years the FCC examines and renews the licenses of television stations by measuring how the stations serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. GRIID's licensing renewal page has a wealth of data demonstrating that the local broadcast stations are not serving the public interest and are asking people to write letters to the FCC using the data they have collected. Sample letters to the FCC are available on the site.