I vividly recall sitting in my office parking lot during lunch hour to catch my first Rush show (on recommendation from my brother).
I was awed, delighted, and amused. That was the summer of 1992.
The Fairness Doctrine plot is a bit overblown IMO. There is overwhelming public and commercial support for unrestrained talk radio. The emergence of satellite radio and Internet podcasts makes the entire purpose of the FD to seem a bit antiquated. I don’t think the public would ever permit such a gross intrusion of the government into free speech on the airwaves.
Finally, the reason Clear Channel paid Rush $400 million isn’t merely his commercial status, but because he is their best insurance against the Fairness Doctrine. It will take only one Rush talking 3 hours every day against it to make certain that the FD is never put into place again.
I think so too. As I recall, the FD only applies to either public broadcasts and/or actual news casts and conservative talk radio falls under entertainment. Government laws to stop talk radio would be censorship and would surely be challenged in court for decades if need be.