Republicans seek to bar Fairness Doctrine's return

[Christopher]

Kara Rowland (Contact)
Thursday, January 8, 2009

Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday that would bar Congress, President-elect Barack Obama and federal media regulators from bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, which they said would all but eliminate the talk-radio industry.

The doctrine, a 1949 requirement that broadcasters present opposing points of view on political issues, was scrapped in 1987 after the Federal Communications Commission said it restricted journalistic freedom. But a new administration with the power to appoint members of the FCC, along with Democratic gains in both chambers on Capitol Hill, has renewed fears among Republicans that the doctrine could be revived.

"Freedom of speech is under attack in this country," said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican and co-sponsor of the Broadcaster Freedom Act. "I am just committing today to use every rule, every tactic that we have at our disposal to keep the Fairness Doctrine from moving in Congress or to overrule it if it is implemented by the FCC."

excerpt, read more at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/08/republicans-seek-to-bar-its-return/

[twila]

I hope this is reported all over the place big time because people won't stand for it if talk radio is shut down. If the dems. could get decent people to have their own shows and quit failing at it each time they try they wouldn't stand for a Fairness Doctrine. What a bunch of cry babies.

[CallawayFT5]

Although I'm totally against it, I actually don't think it would shut it down. What it would do is make AM radio talk shows all be like Hannity and Colmes. What I think it WOULD ironically hurt is the stations like NPR, because needless to say the rules would have to go both ways. A good hour of listening to NPR could put a meth addict to sleep, and they have very strict rules against things like high energy ads, or even salesy ads for that matter. I really don't think their audience (never mind their radio hosts) could stand it if allofasudden their favorite snooze fests turned into real debates with GOD FORBID the other side of the story.

[Brainiac]

Let me make sure I've got this straight. We're fighting a war on terror, we're dealing with an economic meltdown, we had a stock market crash and we are facing a possible Depression, and these Republicans are worrying about talk radio?

[Christopher]

Let me make sure I've got this straight. We're fighting a war on terror, we're dealing with an economic meltdown, we had a stock market crash and we are facing a possible Depression, and these Republicans are worrying about talk radio?

More like they are worrying about free speech. My beef is that they did not do this when they had all the power. Now, it looks like they are just pandering to the base. I also don't think the SCOTUS would allow the fairness doctrine unless it applied across all media, which would be impossible to enforce.

[CallawayFT5]

Let me make sure I've got this straight. We're fighting a war on terror, we're dealing with an economic meltdown, we had a stock market crash and we are facing a possible Depression, and these Republicans are worrying about talk radio?

Alan it's one of the things they're worrying about. The point behind it is that Nancy Pelosi, Harrry Reid et al hate AM talk radio because it makes it more difficult for them to get their left wing message out because millions of people are getting the other side of the stories that they don't want people to hear. So instead of letting the market handle itself, they want to impose government rules into it and FORCE these shows to include people from the other side who frankly couldn't make it with their own messages.

A prediction - if they do in fact try to pull this stunt, I predict that they'll try to include provisions that protect NPR and mainstream media news shows (you know, the ones that pander to the left) from having to follow the same "fairness" guidelines.

[DrScreed]

Let me make sure I've got this straight. We're fighting a war on terror, we're dealing with an economic meltdown, we had a stock market crash and we are facing a possible Depression, and these Republicans are worrying about The First Amendment?

I fixed it for you

[Christopher]

Alan it's one of the things they're worrying about. The point behind it is that Nancy Pelosi, Harrry Reid et al hate AM talk radio because it makes it more difficult for them to get their left wing message out because millions of people are getting the other side of the stories that they don't want people to hear. So instead of letting the market handle itself, they want to impose government rules into it and FORCE these shows to include people from the other side who frankly couldn't make it with their own messages.

A prediction - if they do in fact try to pull this stunt, I predict that they'll try to include provisions that protect NPR and mainstream media news shows (you know, the ones that pander to the left) from having to follow the same "fairness" guidelines.

What's crazy is that they are trying to shut down the opposition after they won sweeping victories across the country. It's one thing to cry when you aren't winning elections, but this is like 'bizzarro world'.

[CallawayFT5]

What's crazy is that they are trying to shut down the opposition after they won sweeping victories across the country. It's one thing to cry when you aren't winning elections, but this is like 'bizzarro world'.

My guess is they're taking the steps now to not have to deal with it later. After the Dems didn't take control in I think it was 04, Nancy Pelosi said in an interview that it wasn't that their message was wrong, but that they weren't good enough at getting their message out. Well what's that tell ya...

[DrScreed]

My guess is they're taking the steps now to not have to deal with it later. After the Dems didn't take control in I think it was 04, Nancy Pelosi said in an interview that it wasn't that their message was wrong, but that they weren't good enough at getting their message out. Well what's that tell ya...

That they want to make sure Their Message gets out, Only!

[twila]

My guess is they're taking the steps now to not have to deal with it later. After the Dems didn't take control in I think it was 04, Nancy Pelosi said in an interview that it wasn't that their message was wrong, but that they weren't good enough at getting their message out. Well what's that tell ya...

What a "lame brain" she is.

[travelinman]

But she is such a beautiful lame brain...http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/czar536/Avatars/np011508Em-TNT.jpg

[twila]

Never seen her look quite like that. Wonder how long it takes her to put on her makeup? :o