Posted on 11/02/2008 8:21:59 PM PST by BAW
Could Democrats be planning to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, a rule that requires broadcasters to air both sides of controversial issues? Conservatives believe so and have been taking to radio shows and blogs to denounce the idea.
Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico raised the prospect on a talk show recently, saying, "For many, many years we operated under a Fairness Doctrine in this country, and I think the country was well-served." Since then, conservative media have brought up the issue repeatedly, worried about likely Democratic congressional gains and a the possibility that Sen. Barack Obama will win the White House.
"They don't want balanced programming on a radio station," Rush Limbaugh said on his Oct. 22 radio show, according to a transcript. "They want no conservative programming on a radio station."
Sen. Obama's campaign has said repeatedly that it doesn't want to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. But conservatives question how far he would go to stop it, if a Democrat-controlled Congress were to pass legislation to bring it back.
The doctrine rose from efforts in the 1950s by the Federal Communications Commission to ensure broadcasters were acting as public trustees and using the airwaves to air issues important to their communities.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Conservative talk radio could move to the internet . . . Rush and others could use internet programming!! [grin]
I see a market for radios that can pull wireless Internet...In Philly, listening to Rush and Hannity is a PITA anyway because it’s on AM and because they’re often bumped for local sports chat.
And is it true that satellite radio is not subject to FCC regulations such as the proposed fairness doctrine?
Sounds like a good plan!:)
The FCC has regulatory authority over satellite radio.
As long as they use radio frequencies, the FCC has some say.
They won’t shut up Rush and others...they will move to satellite, internet etc....
But really...how could you get a president and overwhelming majority of congress from the Democrat party if talk radio was so “dangerous” to the left? Seems the left is doing pretty dang well if this happens....
I remember seeing a KKK member on a Phil Donahue show once a LONG time ago. Donahue said something about many people called in to complain how could he have such a hateful person on....Donahue answered that he believes even the KKK has a right to speak...when they do—normal Americans will be so turned off to them it does the KKK’s cause worse harm by hearing them.
If Rush is so bad they should WANT him to talk out about them....because it would make him so much worse in the eyes of normal people....
Truth is Rush is right and they know he is right and the left is the biggest scam operation since the Nigerian internet thing....they know it resonates with the people..that scares them even with a majority in congress and executive branch.
If Obama says he doesn’t plan to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, that’s a sign that he does...he has an aversion to truth-telling. He seems to have an obsession with Sean Hannity so would probably like to see him silenced.
If Barry wins and he has a full-on Congress, they’ll ram this through too...and he’ll sign it at night with no fanfare. That’s a given, because Barry will need control of pursestrings, personal information (brought to you by his supporters at Google) business, banking, airwaves, and military to accomplish his agenda.
I wonder if the Dems would try to pass a law to regulate such programs on the internet? Seems impossible, but maybe the Chinese could give them some pointers.
FCC can’t control what you purchase. You purchase the rights to listen to satellite programs (or internet programs for that matter)....The Fairness Doctrine applies to land based radio frequency broadcasts (free) over public airways...
Satellite radio is not public...it’s private..you have to pay for it...and if you want to pay for Rush there’s nothing they can do.
Two observations:
1) Zerobama lies when his lips move.
2) That said, it is to the Dims advantage to keep the system at status quo, as it already controls most of the major media outlets in the country. Forcing their friends to actually report both sides of issues would work to their detriment.
Both sides of a controversial issue must be aired? Ok lets start now and I want the left side to FULLY & COMPLETELY air: Obama’s relationships with Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Khalidi, and any other radical thugs he may have come in contact with in his entire life! Our side has already done it to the utmost, THEIR TURN!
That's always been my interpretation as well.
Having said that, I've been an XM subscriber for almost five years. There's no way 20 million people will ever listen to Rush on satellite. It all comes down to money, and unfortunately, just like here on FR, a lot of people won't put their money where their mouth (or freedom) is.
“Dream On”
- Aerosmith
If Obama is elected (and with something close to a rubber stamp congress) then conservative talk radio will be gone within a year, maybe within weeks. The fairness doctrine is only 10% of what they have in mind for reactionary class enemies like Rush. “Up against then wall!!” is more like it.
The #1 goal of Obama and his lackeys will be to destroy all mean of organizing public outrage over the implementation of goals #2, #3, etc.
I can’t imagine the Dems bringing the Fairness Doctrine back. As soon as it passes, radio operators and free speech advocates would file a hundred different lawsuits to block it. In the meantime, the negative press on the Fairness Doctrine would be overwhelming, and eventually, it would collapse. I don’t deny that many Dems would like to reinstate it, but I honestly don’t think it will happen.
Are you kidding? As if Brian Williams, Charlie Gibson, The New York Times and Keith Olbermann are going to come out against it. They want to be back on top, and that's the only avenue for them.
Naivete will die rather quickly under an Obama junta.
I don’t think they would be supportive.
Plus, regardless of what they do, the grassroots would be furious. I think the outrage over this would dwarf the immigration debacle last summer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.