[Political Junkie Too]

The rationale for their authority to promulgate the “fairness” doctrine is that terrestrial radio and TV are “public” airwaves, licensed by the FCC to broadcasters. Satellite radio and TV create their own bandwidth through use of their own satellites and other equipment, and are thus not strictly subject to government regulation of their bandwidth.

I believe you're correct regarding cable, because the transmissions are by subscription and across cables owned and laid by the cable companies.

Satellite, however, like broadcast TV and radio, are regulated by the FCC (and international treaty) to frequency bands set aside for that purpose.

People really do need to talk up the fact that a Fairness Doctrine will equally impact NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS. I'd like to see somebody demand equal time on ABC to counter "The View" each day. What would ABC do, make another hour available to men discussing opposing views, or cancel "The View?"

-PJ

[Emile]

I stand corrected about satellite radio. As for programs like The View, it would doubtless be argued that, hey, there are both ends of the spectrum on that show (I don't watch, but understand that Elizabeth Hasselbeck is the token conservative). Of course, the lib hosts (Walters and Goldberg) control the agenda, but that's what the libs regard as balanced. Contrast this to a program like Hannity and Colmes, where Hannity at least holds his own, if not more. Since libs don't control the agenda on that show, it would be considered biased right, and would have to be balanced out.

As for ABCNNBCBS, as well as NPR, it would be vociferously denied that these aren't balanced, and thus they would not need to be balanced. Since subjective (read: no) standards, rather than word counts or similar standards, will be used, it'll be hard to prove bias. They'll skate, while Limbaugh and the rest of talk radio, which makes no pretense of balance, will be the only radio affected (since left-wing talk radio has already gone bankrupt).