Return of "Fairness Doctrine"?

[volinbham]

Democratic congressional members are attempting to reinstate the FCC's Fairness Doctrine.

Here are two opposing views:

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Regulation/EM368.cfm

The fairness doctrine was overturned by the FCC in 1987. The FCC discarded the rule because, contrary to its purpose, it failed to encourage the discussion of more controversial issues. There were also concerns that it was in violation of First Amendment free speech principles. The legislation now before Congress would enshrine the fairness doctrine into law.

The doctrine's supporters seem not to appreciate just how much the broadcast world has changed since 1949. With the proliferation of informational resources and technology, the number of broadcast outlets available to the public has increased steadily. In such an environment, it is hard to understand why the federal government must police the airwaves to ensure that differing views are heard. The result of a reinstituted fairness doctrine would not be fair at all. In practice, much controversial speech heard today would be stifled as the threat of random investigations and warnings discouraged broadcasters from airing what FCC bureaucrats might refer to as "unbalanced" views.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0212-03.htm

The most extreme change has been in the immense volume of unanswered conservative opinion heard on the airwaves, especially on talk radio. Nationally, virtually all of the leading political talkshow hosts are right-wingers: Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Oliver North, G. Gordon Liddy, Bill O’Reilly and Michael Reagan, to name just a few. The same goes for local talkshows. One product of the post-Fairness era is the conservative “Hot Talk” format, featuring one right-wing host after another and little else. Disney-owned KSFO in liberal San Francisco is one such station (Extra!, 3–4/95). Some towns have two.

When Edward Monks, a lawyer in Eugene, Oregon, studied the two commercial talk stations in his town (Eugene Register-Guard, 6/30/02), he found “80 hours per week, more than 4,000 hours per year, programmed for Republican and conservative talk shows, without a single second programmed for a Democratic or liberal perspective.” Observing that Eugene (a generally progressive town) was “fairly representative,” Monks concluded: “Political opinions expressed on talk radio are approaching the level of uniformity that would normally be achieved only in a totalitarian society. There is nothing fair, balanced or democratic about it.”

Back to the old "market" vs. "government" control?

 

[Lexvol]

Bad news for freedom, good news for those of us who want to equally bash both parties.

 

[MG1968]

this is why it's a shame that Air America failed.

it's also a straw dog to bring out the "public airwaves" argument. public streets are used to distribute newspapers and other periodicals that are overwhelmingly left wing, yet the fairness doctrine won't apply to them. Could you imagine what it would be like if Mother Jones or Vanity Fair were required to have as many conservative as liberal voices in their pages?

 

[GAVol]

The Fairness Doctrine is completely unenforceable in anything but an arbitrary manner.

 

[DAVOL]

this is why it's a shame that Air America failed.

it's also a straw dog to bring out the "public airwaves" argument. public streets are used to distribute newspapers and other periodicals that are overwhelmingly left wing, yet the fairness doctrine won't apply to them. Could you imagine what it would be like if Mother Jones or Vanity Fair were required to have as many conservative as liberal voices in their pages?

Air America Radio |
Looks like it's still on the air to me try not to drink so much of O'rellys spunk every night he's found to be incorrect often.eace2:

 

[volinbham]

Air America Radio |
Looks like it's still on the air to me try not to drink so much of O'rellys spunk every night he's found to be incorrect often.eace2:

Yes, better to drink the "spunk"? of Air America - the source that's never incorrect

 

[DAVOL]

Yes, better to drink the "spunk"? of Air America - the source that's never incorrect

Wait I thought Air America had failed and was off the air that's right I proved that completely false hahahalol:

 

[volinbham]

Wait I thought Air America had failed and was off the air that's right I proved that completely false hahahalol:

The poster suggested that Air America failed - by most accounts it has. The poster never said it was off the air.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

Air America is the perfect radio business model........

k:

 

[OrangeEmpire]

On a side note Dennis Kucinich is my hero!

He is an inspiration to dwarf people!

http://www.alan.com/photogallery/2004/Kucinich.jpg

 

[volinbham]

On a side note Dennis Kucinich is my hero!

He is an inspiration to dwarf people!

http://www.alan.com/photogallery/2004/Kucinich.jpg

I think it was Letterman or Kimmel that did the following bit:

If Hillary Clinton is elected she will be the first woman president.

Obama would be the first black president

Bill Richardson would be the first Hispanic president and

Dennis Kucinich would be the first Hobbit president

 

[MG1968]

Air America Radio |
Looks like it's still on the air to me try not to drink so much of O'rellys spunk every night he's found to be incorrect often.eace2:

I won't dignify that with a reciprocal response. Although I will correct you on one minor point, he spells his name "O'Reilly" and the correct possessive would be "O'Reilly's". When left-wing idiots like you think faster than they type, the results can be hilarious.