Posted on 11/13/2008 10:19:41 AM PST by NCjim
The DC Examiner has a troubling editorial today on a new rule being proposed by Bush's FCC that would represent a threat to the unfettered marketplace of ideas on talk radio while in practice, giving power to anti-free speech elements to dictate what can be broadcast.
As free speech advocates gear up to oppose revival of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” another Orwellian-named government effort to dictate the content of radio and TV news and opinion has been hatched by the Bush administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC). So far, there’s been much less focus on the “localism rule” – even though it would have a similar chilling effect on First Amendment rights.
Under the FCC’s proposed regulations, owners of radio and TV stations would become subject to permanent advisory boards whose members – aka “community organizers” - would be chosen according to politically correct multi-cultural nostrums requiring representation of all “stakeholders.” These boards would be empowered by the FCC to decide if stations were airing a “sufficient amount of community-responsive programming”- with neither “sufficient” nor “responsive” defined. A negative advisory board finding could mean loss of a station owner’s broadcasting license.
The proposed regulations would also require broadcasters to maintain a 24/7 physical presence at broadcasting facilities, limit their use of celebrity “voice tracking” and network programming, require them to fund journalism schools, and give their music playlists to the FCC. Whatever else might be the FCC’s intention with this proposal, it is clear its application would vastly increase the cost of operating a station, while reducing the economic and editorial freedom of the owner. To what end? Experts warn that such rules will kill talk radio – one of the few mass media that favors conservatives. But more is at stake here than protecting the right of 12 million Americans to continue tuning in to Rush Limbaugh on the radio.
Indeed, the chances are very good that these "stakeholders" who would oversee the political content on radio stations could fairly easily call into question a broadcaster's commitment to a “sufficient amount of community-responsive programming" by urging some of their allies to complain to Big Brother at the FCC. It is likely that some stations would drop talk radio altogether rather than risk the hassle of dealing with an FCC challenge to their programming content.
In the end, the effect would be exactly the same as the Fairness Doctrine; conservative talk radio would end up subsidizing liberal programming due to the left's inability to develop mass market appeal in the medium.
The FCC can read the election returns as well as anybody. No doubt some of those folks want to keep their jobs after Obama takes office. Is this rule an effort to pander to the new administration? If so, it doesn't bode well for the future of free speech under Obama.
WTH? Bush doesn’t think he has done enough harm to conservatives or what?
Not really. This is much more about stations broadcasting about the local community sufficiently. It wouldn’t weigh conservative v. liberal programming. This has been something that licensees have been required to do pretty much since the FCC came into existence. Looks like they are just creating a Board to enforce it as that would get a quicker response than petitioning the FCC.
Defund the FCC.
Bailout Liberals Doctrine?
President George W. Bush (D)
DON’T YOU DARE TRY TO LAY THIS AT BUSH’S FEET ...IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID ON FR THAT OBAMA HAS DECIDED TO ADD A FORMER FCC PERSON APPOINTMENT TO REIMPLEMENT something AKIN TO THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE...this communist propaganda to lay this at Bush’s feet is enough..enough already!
O.K., well the airwaves and the cable will be over, the only good news is they can’t make me look or listen, but..........I’d think that least for a while, Limbaugh, Hannity and Ingram could “broadcast” or should I say, “podcast” independently over the Internet?
Gestapo time in Amerika.
The comments window has already closed on the rulemaking proposal.
http://www.keeprushontheair.com/FCCNPRM208_localism.htm
Bush had nothing to do with this, don’t you recognize communist propaganda when you see it? Another communist “disinformation specialist” is that Mike Savage of Savage Nation...he was a friend of Allen Gingsberg (communist SDS) as well as the group surrounding Bill Ayers in late 60’s...this is amazing that you’all buy this stuff every day. Communist propaganda is trashing your own group, except for the “brainwashing” you want to do..in this case against President Bush. They play to the crowd and insert the “disinformation” they want to destroy the target...
Kiss Christian Radio goodbye.
Dear Mr. Bushbot.
We that are affected with BDS are not trashing our own. Bush is not on our team.
Has anyone ever thought that this is Bush’s payback for all the crap Conservatives have given him over the last four years? We voted for him and then turned on him.
there are plenty of OTHER reasons as to why I’ve placed a D next to our President’s name...
this list is too long to post... and yes he has been a R on many other items too... but not enough for me, thanks.
Reminds me of my tour in Korea in the early 70s. There were about 18 bars just off post. Each night officers and NCOs would be assigned to Courtesy Patrol to these bars to maintain order. Each set of three bars would have one set of an Officer and an NCO. Each pair would rotate through their three bars. One of the things we were required to record and report upon was the playlist. The bars were supposed to play one rock/pop song, one hispanic, one country and western, and one black song. Then they had a free pick from any of these categories. IOW, no more than 40% of the songs played could be from one category. If the bar deviated, we were expected to intervene and direct the playing of songs to bring the play list into compliance.
The purpose of this was to ensure that all soldiers felt welcome in each bar. The bars were fairly compliant except for the two bars with a reputation for catering to black soldiers. These two bars would refuse to play anything but soul music. The owners were quite clear that if they adhered to the regular playlist, there would be a riot.
But it EASILY CAN be abused to demand enough local programming to bump national shows off the air.
don’t take my comments out of context please.
Isn’t Jesse Jackson’s son- in charge of the FCC?
Who am I trying to think of?
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