Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fairness Down Your Throat
IBD Editorials ^ | August 20, 2008

Posted on 08/20/2008 5:43:13 PM PDT by Kaslin

Free Speech: Terrorism and oil aren't the only stand-out issues this year. A President Obama and Democratic Congress could empower a multimedia thought police whose long arms extend even to the Internet.


More than 20 years have passed since the Reagan administration sent the so-called Fairness Doctrine to the ash heap of history. In so doing, it ended a violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of free political speech that managed to survive for almost four decades.

Those old enough will remember how afternoon sitcom reruns were regularly interrupted by some little old lady or wild-eyed activist being given several minutes of "equal time." The mind-numbing interludes were how TV and radio complied with that erstwhile Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation requiring "balance" on the airwaves.

In the years since the Fairness Doctrine was scrapped, America's elite media establishment, which had thought its comfortable position of power was permanent, has been rocked by a free speech revolution courtesy of talk radio and a whole universe of bloggers. Their instant fact checks and counterpunches have dethroned the Big Three TV networks, as well as the New York Times and Washington Post.

Yet an alarming proportion of the public seems to think government-imposed "equality" should govern the airwaves. A Rasmussen survey this month found 47% in favor of requiring all radio and TV stations to provide an equal share of conservative and liberal political commentary.

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: fairnessdoctrine; talkradio
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

1 posted on 08/20/2008 5:43:13 PM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Im all for the fairness doctrine as long as it is imposed on newspapers newsrooms and editorial content, the major news network newsrooms and editorial content, and on college faculty.


2 posted on 08/20/2008 5:52:48 PM PDT by Ouderkirk (I will not vote for Obama not because he is black, but because he is RED)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

One of the MANY reasons that Obama must not be elected.


3 posted on 08/20/2008 5:55:23 PM PDT by EagleUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
The days of limited media info and entertainment are over. The floater "fairness doctrine" has sunk and been flushed.

If they tried that today, people would think it was a really unfunny comedy routine.

You need to flush twice, it's a long way to the chocolate city, and the ENEMEDIA has overflown the bowl.

4 posted on 08/20/2008 5:59:13 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (I will stand with the Muslims ~B Hussein Obomunist ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Verito Possumus~Verified Sleeper!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

the “fairness doctrine” is so barbarian

and anti-information technology that i cannot imagine an intelligent person desiring to bring it back.


5 posted on 08/20/2008 5:59:20 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Many seem to be self-deluded into thinking that if B.O. Plenty is elected POTUS, somehow conservatisim will rise again.

I say that once in power, you will without a doubt see the “Fairness Doctine” passed and enforced, confiscation of all arms, concealed carry permits rescended (records are now very detailed and they’ll KNOW where to come looking) and all sorts of legislation passed to lock-in this administration from now on out, to block out any legislative opposition.

It’s easy to say “...pried from my dead, cold hands...”, it’s another to face the squad of masked enforcers at your door (they won’t come singly) and then okay, now what?

This is Communism coming to America and right-thinking people had better make some mighty hard decisions on what they must be prepared to do. Don’t think we’re exempt.


6 posted on 08/20/2008 6:08:26 PM PDT by brushcop (We remember SSG Harrison Brown, PVT Andrew Simmons B CO 2/69 3ID KIA Iraq OIF IV)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ken21

Who is going to free us?

7 posted on 08/20/2008 6:08:29 PM PDT by oyez (Justa' another high minded lowlife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: oyez

are those college ‘bots?


8 posted on 08/20/2008 6:15:21 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ken21

The best I can gather is; some are. some aren’t.


9 posted on 08/20/2008 6:17:29 PM PDT by oyez (Justa' another high minded lowlife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: brushcop

>>>Many seem to be self-deluded into thinking that if B.O. Plenty is elected POTUS, somehow conservatisim will rise again.<<<

boy is that a dumb idea!

i see red when i hear it. i was getting into my car and some guy was making that point to rush.

i point out—we have jimmy carter to thank for the current middle east mess. even ronald reagan did not straighten it out.

in fact, after they blew up our marines in beirut, reagan pulled out.


10 posted on 08/20/2008 6:20:56 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. - Thomas Jefferson


11 posted on 08/20/2008 6:25:47 PM PDT by VRW Conspirator (Wanted: Designated Driver for November voting party)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ouderkirk

Im all for the fairness doctrine as long as it is imposed on newspapers newsrooms and editorial content, the major news network newsrooms and editorial content, and on college faculty.

You need to remember that by decree they set the starting point and that starting point is that leftist socialism or worse is the standard and original intent is Radical. In other words their point of view is middle of the road and needs no response. It will only be conseravtive (formally know as liberal way back when) that needs to be "balanced" with absolute gutter leftist views.

12 posted on 08/20/2008 6:32:17 PM PDT by Archon of the East (Universal Executive Power of the Law of Nature)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Archon of the East

You are correct. Since they (socialist democRATS) will become the arbiter of fairness, and since the MSM and academia are like minded, they need not be targeted for re-education, while we are the enemy and must be re-educated/destroyed.


13 posted on 08/20/2008 7:11:00 PM PDT by Ouderkirk (I will not vote for Obama not because he is black, but because he is RED)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: rawcatslyentist

I wish I could agree with you; unfortunately, if that last highly-publicized poll has any veracity to it, almost half of those surveyed were in favor of re-instituting the Fairness Doctrine. That number gave me pause. Almost 50 percent. FRiends, the erosion of our free speech protection began long ago, and soon...well, I’m not so confident of the outcome.


14 posted on 08/20/2008 7:12:28 PM PDT by WVRockDJ (Mountaineer by choice; USMC by choice; Christian by Grace.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ken21

My thoughts exactly. Exasperating.


15 posted on 08/20/2008 8:20:22 PM PDT by brushcop (We remember SSG Harrison Brown, PVT Andrew Simmons B CO 2/69 3ID KIA Iraq OIF IV)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: brushcop

thanks.

and our democrat friends want to impose this tyranny upon us.

many of the things the democrats do, are similar to what the russians do, and help them out.

for example, not drilling here helps the russian oil and gas monopoly.


16 posted on 08/20/2008 8:23:34 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: ken21

** ... i cannot imagine an intelligent person desiring to bring it back.**

I can’t either ... I guess that’s why DEMOCRATS are FOR IT


17 posted on 08/20/2008 8:38:04 PM PDT by gwilhelm56 (I'll never vote for a LIBERAL ... even if they Do have an (R) after their name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

btt


18 posted on 08/20/2008 8:59:18 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ken21

“the “fairness doctrine” is so barbarian”

And so UNFAIR in its title. I worry that again, the vast, uninformed public will be for it simply because of the name and never bother to learn what it’s really about or what the endless implications would be.


19 posted on 08/20/2008 9:12:17 PM PDT by llandres (I'd rather be alive and bankrupt than dead and solvent)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: brushcop

“Many seem to be self-deluded into thinking that if B.O. Plenty is elected POTUS, somehow conservatisim will rise again. This is Communism coming to America and right-thinking people had better make some mighty hard decisions on what they must be prepared to do. Don’t think we’re exempt.”

Brushcop - brilliant post - you speak some very hard, cold truths that we’d ALL better wake up and realize. You’re right - we’re not exempt, and all great civilizations pass a point of NO return.


20 posted on 08/20/2008 9:23:19 PM PDT by llandres (I'd rather be alive and bankrupt than dead and solvent)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson