The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Kevin Martin, indicated on Thursday the 26th, regarding the “Fairness Doctrine” issue:
Indeed, with the continued proliferation of additional sources of information and programming, including satellite broadcasting and the Internet, the need for the Fairness Doctrine has lessened even further since 1987.”
And I suspect everyone reading this blog would concur: Chairman Martin is indeed correct. But the Demorats have a plan:
Liberal efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine are “completely on track,” and Democrats intend to push for the measure by linking talk radio to “hate crimes,” according to a conservative media analyst.
I have written about the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” many times; here and here and here and here, for example.
There is an excellent site watching the F.D. — go here for this site.
I suspect that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is now on any number of Demorat hit lists — and I suspect his budget will be, oddly enough, examined very closely through the Demorat microscope.
Huh. Imagine that.
BZ
How very ironic that they want to implement censorship, yet call themselves the “Democratic” Party.
This Canadian knows what it’s like to reside in a country where there is censorship, and it’s no laughing matter. Even TIME magazine is forced to print an entirely different issue each month for this market. That’s why so many of us end up leaving when we are able…one of many reasons.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper
Fear not Deborah, we’re not terrifically far behind despite our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
BZ
We need to keep fighting to tell the truth.
Freedom of the press is not freedom to swear and print pornography — it’s the right to tell the truth and state honestly held opinions.
Shop: which is why I am a LARGE opponent to the “Fairness Doctrine” which, naturally, has zip to do with fairness and all to do with Demorat control of media.
BZ
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All the tears are making America’s floor slippery. The liberal whiners are exactly the reason we are still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If I was on the opposing side of a battle it would be a great morale booster to see ANY Democrat in office.
For them to cry about “fairness” in the media is laughable, I can only think of one MSM television station that is “Right sided” but I can name a bunch of lefties.
BTW, The comment above was deleted by me BZ…
Unlike newspapers and movies and blogs and cable channels, the federal government gives commercial broadcasters a free license to use public property-the airwaves. There are still more people who want these licenses than the government is able to satisfy. In exchange for this very valuable and scarce license, and federal protection against “pirate” (unlicensed) radio operators, broadcasters are supposed to operate in the public interest.
Hey, BZ, how about we link the Democrats to “Hate Crimes?” After all, they’ve made it quite obvious that they hate President Bush. Let’s turn the table on the asshats! Harry Reid and Pelosi should be the first to be charged. We need to start a petition to that effect and see how they like a taste of their own medicine!
Anonymous:
And operate they do. I would go you one better:
It is MY opinion that the playing field for ALL major political candidates could be EVENED OUT if the federal government would play ball precisely as you write: in the public interest.
Why not MANDATE that federally-licensed TV stations MUST provide a certain amount of airtime, such as they must already provide for PSAs, for candidates for major federal offices?
This would be beneficial on two levels: not so much dependence by politicians on campaign financing, and getting major media outlets involved in the EQUAL and BILATERAL provision of airtime for both major party candidates.
Gayle: in terms of hate crimes, yes, that would be quite applicable to those individuals.
BZ