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.
This proposal was percolating even before Obama’s election. Bush does share some of the blame for appointing a weak FCC chairman.
Bush has nothing to do with this, and stop listening to the communist “disinformation police”. The FCC is an independent agency...the only thing causing this is the Obama announcement of his appointment who will favor a return of the Fairness Doctrine or some other censorship doctrine.
No doubt these are the same DC bureaucrats that have plagued most of the Bush years. Remember all the State Dept and pentagon leaks about the war. Even though they can be called part of the Bush administration, they are doing whatever they can to undermine conservatives at every turn. These career government workers are mostly liberal and probably over-joyed with the election results.
Umm, who gave the government ownership of the airwaves? The authority certainly isn’t in the Constitution.
Have they banned Orwell in schools yet?
I hated having to read it (the book “1984”) , but man I am SO GLAD I did, because I recognize so much of it in real life occurring RIGHT NOW.
Brave New World is here, Aldous Huxley was right too.
H...F...whatever it takes.
Great.........you’ve made my day.
“AM radio would have to re-invent itself or go out of business”. Sorry, you made me laugh with that one! In my part of the country, (Southwest) AM radio has been re-invented. It’s mostly all Mexican stations now. Only God knows what they chatter on about, but the music.........how much bad accordion does anyone really need in the course of a day.
First ammendment repealed?
Is Obama in office? Does Obama have any power over the FCC? Then this is being moved forward by the BUSH admin, and it belongs squarely at the feet of that fascist Jorge W Bush.
just wait...
Well, current rules cap the local programming. And while you are correct, it could to some extent, it is just not a tool that can be used to backdoor the Fairness Doctrine.
Now rolling back media consolidation? THAT is backdooring the Fairness Doctrine.
Why should Bush care about Conservatives? They are no longer necessary to his political career and he is not one of that breed, anyway, and believes them to be non-compassionate hence his need to describe himself as a “compassionate” conservative.
If bush pre-empts Hussein in order to get the “credit” for it then IT IS CORRECTLY LAID AT HIS FEET!
The liberals at the FCC want to pin this on Bush.
Not just “no”
“H3LL NO”
What has happened to George W Bush? He’s lame ducking his Presidency at a very bad time for a Republican to lose his cajones. Or spine of steel, if you prefer.
Where’s the Dubya of 09/12/2001??? Where did he go?
I am so disappointed in him right now. He didn’t help McCain and Palin and I think he could have done so.
Anyway, as the man said, we’re screwed.
Now had me that electrical screwdriver that has a reverse, please, and plug it in. Biden’s probably got a loose plug or two, just plug it in there.
IF the local community demands Rush Limbaugh 24/7 and the EIB network is able to provide, then the community has been satisfied.
The implication is there is a 50/50 split. The truth is never fair.
The fact that franken had to downgrade to a senate run after his radio gig failed says it all. In fact he can only win by stealing an election.
Looks like Presidente Arbusto is reaching across the aisle again.
local AM programming will be killed by these rules... what kind of an audience would infomercials and Aunt Mildred’s Recipe Hour attract? I expect in the near future to be able to get conservative talk radio only from beyond the Obama Curtain by short wave and AM radio stations broadcasting from Canada and Mexico
...a new rule being proposed by Bush's FCC that would represent a threat to the unfettered marketplace of ideas on talk radio...
...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).
You'll have to explain further why this is not AT BUSH'S FEET.
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.