Preserve Talk Radio: The Threat of Reimposition of the So-called Fairness Doctrine

Accuracy in Media ^ | December 7, 2006 | Paul M. Weyrich

[DogByte6RER]

Preserve Talk Radio: The Threat of Reimposition of the So-called Fairness Doctrine

By Paul M. Weyrich*

December 7, 2006

In 1982, under the leadership of Chairman Richard E. Wiley, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed a major broadcasting restriction, the Fairness Doctrine. There were howls of protest from conservatives who did not understand the effect this action would have upon the broadcast industry.

Some even pleaded for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. That is because prior to 1982 conservatives had had so little access to the media they wanted to use government to force stations to give them a few minutes to reply to a controversial issue.

What they didn't understand was that the FCC action paved the way for Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mike Reagan, Mark Levin, Janet Parshall and the host of other syndicated radio shows. In addition there are some 1,100 local conservative talk-show hosts. At the time AM radio was going down the drain. Stations were sold for a song. Some even went off the air. Why? Because no one under age 30 had even heard of AM radio. FM was the rage. The FCC action saved AM radio. In the process, controversial issues could be discussed without the need for the Fairness Doctrine. Liberals have tried to imitate what conservatives have done with radio. First, they tried various programs. They all failed. Then with Air America they were going to try to put a network together. In case you haven't heard, it went belly up. Now they are trying again. Likely they will fail. Why? Because of the hopelessness of their message. A third of self-professed liberals listen to conservative talk radio. Why ? Because we offer hope.

I say we because the Free Congress Foundation has an hour show each Friday...

[DogByte6RER]

Excellent commentary by Paul Weyrich. The "Fairness Doctrine" is nothing more than an attempt by democrats to impose a Soviet style gag rule on talk radio. Expect this issue to be a top priority with the incoming politburo of leftists coming into power in Congress next month.

Our airwaves should be forums controlled by the free exchange of ideas and based on the competition of those ideas without the interference of government bureaucrats. The "Fairness Doctrine" is just a liberal democrat blueprint to "socialize" the airwaves through the control of big government.

Conservatives have been resourceful over the past two decades in circumventing the liberal biases of mainstream media outlets like the NY Times, CBS, ABC, CNN, NMC and WaPo. The "Fairness Doctrine" seeks to strip away the gains that the conservative movement has made over the past two decades.

What the leftists in the Democrat Party fear is the open competition of ideas between conservative philosophy and liberalism.

The democrats' philosophy of collectivism, socialism, high taxes and more regulation will always lose out when contrasted to conservative ideas like free enterprise, individual liberty and low taxes and less regulation. People will have the natural tendency to choose personal freedom over socialism when the two views are presented side by side in a climate of free speech and open debate.

Government control of the airwaves will only stifle the debate in order to consolidate the power of the liberal democrats who seek to impose socialism upon American society.

[o_zarkman44]

Campaign finance reform was the firt step in the reversal of equal access to political free speech.
Step 2 is?

[dfwgator]

Liberals don't need talk radio, they already have ABCNBCCNNCBS doing their bidding for them.

[taxcontrol]

Call it what it is .... CENSORSHIP

Cry it loud anytime anyone anywhere event attempts to mention the Fairness Doctrine in a favorable context.

[DogByte6RER]

I agree with you.

McCain's so called "Campaign Finance Reform" was an abomination. True campaign finance reform can only occur through the devolution of the federal government. If the federal government is downsized and has little control over our daily lives, then there would be less lobbying in Congress to obtain special perks and favors.

John McCain would have us all believe that campaign finance reform is needed because of the lobbyists. Yet the truth is that the lobbyists are CREATED by the Congress and the federal bureaucrats who seek to impose their powers to decide the winners and losers in society. When federal bureaucrats and politicians usurp this power from the people, then special interests will always seek to gain the favor of those who are in power.

This is the reason why I will NEVER vote for John McCain. He obviously doesn't understand that government is the root cause of this problem. The presence of large numbers of lobbyists in Washington, D.C. is just the symptom of this disease.

I think the new Congress' attempt to re-institute the "Fairness Doctrine" is the next step of big government to reverse the access to political free speech.

This issue is a coming storm on the horizon. Just wait until the "Nanny-state" Nancy Pelosi gets that Speaker's gavel next month...

[USMCWife6869]

I'm telling you, Sirius Radio is the best $13 a month I can spend. Here in Yuma, on regular radio, we can get 2 English speaking FM channels. Pretty much everything else on the dial is Spanish speaking.

I bought a Sirius radio and have never looked back. Worth every penny.

[raccoonradio]

Some have felt that if Air America went under, and if NO "progressive" (ha) talk shows were on, there would be pressure to bring back the (un)Fairness Doctrine. Libtalk radio hasn't succeeded in the free marketplace of ideas (word is now coming that it'll be off the air in liberal Boston, replaced by "Rumba" Spanish-language programming, and L.A. will probably be next).

There are a couple shows, not syndicated by Air America
but by Jones, that MIGHT be a marginal success (very
marginal), perhaps
if placed on the bigger, mostly-conservative stations
(but tape delayed). That being said, the likes of Rush
or Hannity have 12-14 times as many listeners as the
most "successful" libtalkers. And that's just ratings--
what about billing? (After the lib hosts bash big business
then find they have...no sponsors...wonder why.)

Liberal talk fans already have NPR, much of TV,
Hollywood, music (Dixie Chicks, Barbra Streisand), etc.
They still are not showing any real promise in talk
radio. But yes we need to worry that the libs might
try to bring back the UNFairness Doctrine to get
their way.

[b4its2late]

FYI

To: b4its2late

Yep. And look for some "fairness doctrine" movement from the house and then the senate along with the normal impeachment proceedings.

Now that they won't get. SCOTUS said two decades ago that the Fairness Doctrine was only going to be constitutional as long as broadcast TV and radio was all the public had. Those days are long, long gone.

13 posted on 11/08/2006 2:29:58 PM EST by Dont Mention the War (This tagline is false.)

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Yep. And look for some "fairness doctrine" movement from the house and then the senate along with the normal impeachment proceedings.

Now that they won't get. SCOTUS said two decades ago that the Fairness Doctrine was only going to be constitutional as long as broadcast TV and radio was all the public had. Those days are long, long gone.

[Trunk 71-74]

The problem is that the politicians get rich by fund-raising for elections, and then keep the money (similar to how Public Television works for its management).

TRUE CAMPAIGN FINANCING REFORM:

All money not spent by Election Day is given back to the general fund; federal general fund if federal election, state general fund if state election, local general fund if local election.

[Bogtrotter52]

"There were howls of protest from conservatives who did not understand the effect this action would have upon the broadcast industry."

Ah yes, the simpler pre-internet days. Funny how it worked out. And now the only reason the left screams is becuase they know that on a level playing field in a free market system they lose BIG. Air America proved that. They can only win if they force guvmint to give them a advantage. But all they really want in the end is to kill talk radio