Posted on 10/20/2008 5:16:22 AM PDT by Liz
Should Obama win and Democrats take full control of Congress, next year will see a real legislative attempt to bring back the Fairness Doctrine - and to diminish conservatives' influence on broadcast radio, the one medium they dominate. Yes, the Obama campaign said some months back that the candidate doesn't seek to re-impose this regulation, which, until Ronald Reagan's FCC phased it out in the 1980s, required TV and radio broadcasters to give balanced airtime to opposing viewpoints or face steep fines or even loss of license. But most Democrats - including party elders Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry and Al Gore - strongly support the idea of mandating "fairness."
Brian C. Anderson is editor of City Journal and co-author, with Adam Thierer, of "A Manifesto for Media Freedom," just out from Encounter Books.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Just wait until Barack Hussein Odingo is POTUS, with a 60 ‘rat senate.
We ain’t seen nothing yet.
Can someone explain the Fairnes Doctrine...
Does this ONLY apply to talk radio?
Or would for instance Matthews, Olberman, Maddow, et al be forced to provide equal time for conservative op-eds?
How long afer Huessein is POTUS do you think the left will realize that they royally screwed the pooch voting for him?
There are things we could do to counter it, based on the way free speech helped tear down the USSR, but it would be a lot tougher than winning this campaign. We’re closing in on Obama. Here’s this morning’s link list:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2109611/posts?page=5#5
[I’ll add this to tomorrow’s list.]
Heck, The Fairness Doctrine will only be one of the little things he’ll ram down our throats! and by the way, he’ll try to muzzle the FR!
I think Rush has already in the past stated that he would pull the plug on his show rather than submit to the so called “fairness doctrine”. He would move the show to satellite radio or subscription. I think he even mentioned pirate broadcasts (shades of VOA!).
It would be an incredibly stupid move for Congress to make, which is why they are likely to try it if Obama gets in. 600+ radio stations would likely go belly up along with tens of thousands of jobs; not to mention the destruction of businesses who need to get their ads out to an audience.
Watch the immediate executive orders if this clown is elected..
Your reply fully assumes that a Hussein government would crack down on liberals. Liberals will supress free speech by going after big name conservaitives while pretty much ignoring what liberal s say and do. Or, liberals will get someone like Chuck Hagel to give them cover of some sort. Do you see what might soon be coming?
Never. They will see more socialism as the cure for every ill.
Does this ONLY apply to talk radio?...
...I believe this is a radio only mandate, originating in 1949 or thereabouts...I agree with the writer of the article, in his supposition that even with congressinal support, Obama may be unlikely to try something so blatant as a federal regulation of airing equal time, when it would work just as well, with much less friction to simply mandate radio stations to devote more time to local programming, thus cutting down (but not eliminating) national talk shows...I believe this will be how ‘fairness’ will be brought about...
Thai is why they will do it. They do not care if 600, or for that matter 6 million stations, go belly up. As for businesses, the only "businesses" that will be operating is the ones that have their permission. They will decide who runs it. They will decide what is produced, how much is charged for the product, who is hired and how much they are paid. They will be estatic that people have no jobs. This will make them dependent upon the government for existence. If they do not behave like good slaves they will be cut off. And like all government programs, only ceertain types will qualify. The rest will be condemed to a starvation death.
bring back the Fairness Doctrine
Have we had this before? I don’t quite understand the problem with this. First of all. We will make out like bandits if this passes. The news is liberal all the time and conservative none of the time. I would think most here would love to have a 50-50 split of equal news. I know some worry about the radio programs. What? We have five conservative radio shows. Let them have their five and we will be done. Do you believe Rush will be overtaken by five new liberal radio shows? I don’t. He has a few following and competition is not going to change this. I must be missing something big time!
few = huge
Now why would anyone attempt to muzzle the right. Something to hide? What is it about being analyzed that the left finds so disturbing? Fairness, as a legislative idea? In who’s opinion, fairness.
So much more, but just for a moment consider the mere attempt at a muzzle, to be a huge motivator for other avenues of communication. Off shore internet, off shore radio, resurgence of short wave, pirate radio, actual subscription radio where I pay directly for what I want, and advertisers have little to do with it. Communication should be looked at by congress as a Constitutional business decision which they have no business messing with.
For example is it fair to business who want to advertise with someone worth advertising with, to be mandated to pay money to a station carrying programming not likely to increase sales? Pick a left leaning talk radio personality, the most successful might be Ed Shultz. Who I can’t stand. Want to listen to left leaning Congressmen and guests? Ed Shultz is your man.
Free speech, Hmmmm? Like Freedom, it ain’t free. Not with the likes of Nazi “turn out the lights and shut off the microphones” Pelosi at the Speakers position. Her title alone Speaker of the House, gives her license the American people will not have. So like statements soon forgotten, I say “bring it on”, we’ll find out what the American people think of fairness as proposed by the left.
LOL, since when did the Constitution have anything to do with what came out of a congressional session, especially a congress of left leaning Marxists, and Socialists, masquerading as elected representatives who swore an oath to support and defend the Living Constitution of the United States of America.
Your definition of "conservative" and "liberal" is not the same as the "controlling legal authority" that will oversee the Fairness Doctrine.
The Supreme Court can't define pornography, but it will damn sure be able to define "conservative" and "liberal."
Year to 18 months. There will be indications with the very first flurry of illegal and asinine executive orders, but we're talking the left here so they will need more than normal, intelligent, non rabid humans to see clearly what is before their very faces.
Two years after he takes the oath (this is all moot, McCain's gonna’ win)he is powerless and his presidency is in shambles. He may even totally queer his presidency on the stupidity of his executive orders in the first weeks.
If he gets in he and his fellow America hating leftards in congress WILL overreach to a degree that historians will regard as breathtaking and blind. Whatever, Obozo the clown is doomed—he's too stupid and flawed and evilly motivated
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.