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'Fairness' by any other name. Date published: 3/17/2009
AROSE by any other name may On Feb. 26, the Senate passed an attachment to the D.C. Voting Rights bill called the "Broadcaster Freedom Amendment," which prohibits the reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine. That, if you recall, was the measure-for-measure requirement that political speech on radio and television be "balanced." The result? Broadcasters were afraid to allow anything but Pablum on the air. Democrats have promised they have no intention of restoring the hated measure, but could it be they've had their fingers crossed? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told CNSNews she supports yet another amendment to the D.C. Voting Rights Bill, this one sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill. It would force the FCC to "take actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership and to ensure that broadcast station licenses are used in the public interest." "Diversity" it seems, is "fairness" renamed. House Conference Chairman Mike Pence, R-Ind., agrees. He's a former radio broadcaster. He said, "It's clear to me that Democrats, having failed in their frontal assault on talk radio in America through the Fairness Doctrine, are now shifting strategy to a form of regulation that is essentially the Fairness Doctrine by stealth." Mr. Durbin, of course, denies that. By whatever name it's called, the attempt by government to "balance" political speech on the airwaves can only hurt. Vigorous discourse is necessary for a democracy to work. Congress shouldn't muzzle the media.
The first thing to go is any newspaper or television or radio station that disagrees with the "party" line. Apparently democrats want to do the same.
All I hear on talk radio is about "socialism" from a bunch of cranks who don't know what they're talking about. They did make millions using the public air waves though. What I suggest is taxing Rush, Beck, and the rest of 'em at the 90% rate since their advocacy of conservative princples (no govt regulation!) led to the current financial meltdown. After all, we need the funds for the cleanup.
This congresswoman from California is out of control !
Is it right that a single entity controls the majority of the news media in any given market? Is it right when the public airwaves in a market are controlled by interests whose headquarters may be across the country? What is wrong with local companies owning and broadcasting where they live? Do you want the same canned music coming over the airwaves when you travel? Is bigger better? These are some of the issues that need to be addressed in this debate, not will it hurt right wing talk radiio.
that "Wolfman Jack" used to Broadcast from a big mother A.M. station in Mexico, just across our border. On a good night the Canadians could listen to him. If the left wingnuts succeed, then the opposing big mouths can do the same thing...welcome to single party tule. And I mean RULE
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