Archive for the “Fairness Doctrine” Category
Day By Day by Chris Muir
The way MSNBC and NBC News are glorifying “The One” and dissing any potential GOP rivals, criticism of Obama may be labelled “hate speech”, no?
The reassuring fact is that since Obamessiah was elected Fox News has been killing MSNBC in the viewer ratings.
No wonder Democrat Pols are discussing the re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine.
Guess you cannot fool the marketplace of ideas, can you?
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Senator Debbie (D-Michigan)Stabenow on Liberal Talk Radio With Bill Press this morning
Flap saw this earlier in the day and Michelle reminded Flap that the “Fairness Doctrine” is AGAIN being discussed for reinstatement. It seems to come up every time a LEFTY radio show fails. In the past couple of days there have been a few.
BILL PRESS: Yeah, I mean, look: They have a right to say that. They’ve got a right to express that. But, they should not be the only voices heard. So, is it time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine?
SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else — I absolutely think it’s time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves. I mean, our new president has talked rightly about accountability and transparency. You know, that we all have to step up and be responsible. And, I think in this case, there needs to be some accountability and standards put in place.
BILL PRESS: Can we count on you to push for some hearings in the United States Senate this year, to bring these owners in and hold them accountable?
SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I have already had some discussions with colleagues and, you know, I feel like that’s gonna happen. Yep.
Of course, Senator Stabenow has a vested interest in any reinstatment since her husband is Tom Athans who is the co-founder and former CEO of left-wing Democracy Radio. Today, he is the Executive Vice President of the formerly bankrupt LEFT-WING Air America radio.
President Obama has stated that he is against reinstatement of “The Fairness Doctrine.” But, like everything else his stands on issues have an expiration date.
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Restore The Fairness Doctrine and Apply To ALL Programming – Are You Fraking Kidding Flap?
The Fairness Doctrine – Technology Has Passed it By
The Worry About the Fairness Doctrine
Technorati Tags: Debbie Stabenow, Tom Athans, Air America, Fairness Doctrine
Tags: Air America, Debbie Stabenow, Fairness Doctrine, Tom Athans
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California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D- Palo Alto) wants to restore The Fairness Doctrine
There were warnings about the restoration of The Fairness Doctrine after the election of Barack Obama and the overwhelming Democrat victory in the Congress. Although Barack Obama has said he opposes reinstatement of it, we all know how he can change his mind.
Also, Flap poo-pooed the idea because technology really had passed The Fairness Doctrine by.
Now, however, comes a new proposal by a California Congresswoman, Anna Eshoo which gives Flap pause.
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said Monday she will work to restore the Fairness Doctrine and have it apply to cable and satellite programming as well as radio and TV.
“I’ll work on bringing it back. I still believe in it,†Eshoo told the Daily Post in Palo Alto.
The Fairness Doctrine required TV and radio stations to balance opposing points of view. It meant that those who disagreed with the political slant of a commentator were entitled to free air time to give contrasting points of view, usually in the same time slot as the original broadcast.
The doctrine was repealed by the Reagan administration’s Federal Communications Commission in 1987, and a year later, Rush Limbaugh’s show went national, ushering in a new form of AM radio.
Conservative talk show hosts fear the doctrine will result in their programs being canceled because stations don’t want to offer large amounts of air time to opponents whose response programs probably wouldn’t get good ratings.
Eshoo said she would recommend the doctrine be applied not only to radio and TV broadcasts, but also to cable and satellite services.
“It should and will affect everyone,†she said.
She called the present system “unfair,†and said “there should be equal time for the spoken word.”
So, the government will be in the speech business? Even where they have no regulatory role or control, e.g. the internet, cable and satellite communications?
Think about this. A Congresswoman, believing that “there should be equal time for the spoken word”, is going to have the government step in and regulate what can be said on privately-owned communication systems, i.e., cable television and satellite radio. And at no point does it cross her mind that this would violate the First Amendment.
How fast do you spell violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution? And, the United States Supreme Court eviscerating the bill/law?
Someone needs to remind the Congresswoman that the government has NO ROLE in regulation of the freedom of speech.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.
Stay tuned……
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The Fairness Doctrine – Technology Has Passed it By
The Worry About the Fairness Doctrine
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Democrats Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland talk to CNS News about the Fairness Doctrine Flap, frankly, is not worried if some of the left-minded Democrats in Congress, emboldened by a non-veto likely Obama Presidency attempt to restore the Fairness Doctrine that was repealed over twenty years ago during the Reagan Administration.
Why?
Tehcnology has passed broadcast AM radio by.
Today, there are many more opportunities for the RIGHT to communicate – the internet, and satellite video and audio – both of which avoid ANY federal government regulation whatsoever.
How long do you think it would take Rush Limbaugh to move over to privately owned Satellite radio should the federal government require his broadcast network to balance his programming?
Some on the looney left may make the attempt to reimpose the Fairness Doctrine but Flap agrees with Ed Morrissey. The move would only precipitate the financial collapse of broadcast AM radio with the concomitant short-term loss of jobs. The RIGHT talk radio industry would then migrate to the internet and satellite broadcast.
Sure, there would be some business dislocations with Clear Channel and Salem Communications. but, who is to say that these corporations are not already poised to make the move.
Who is manufacturing the new internet/satellite radios anyway?
Stay tuned as the Democrats decide whether to go forward with their brand of censorship called “fairness.”
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New York Democrat Senator Chuck Shumer on Fox News this morning
Of course, Chuck Shumer’s comments are silly comparing RIGHT Talk Radio and pornography but he may very well have the votes to push another “Fairness Doctrine” on the American people through Congress.
Should the GOP fail to win at least 40 seats in the United States Senate tonight, Flap would recommend divesting your investments in broadcast radio.
Now, Ruish Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and a few others would immediately move to Sirius Satellite Radio where the federal government cannot regulate content. This is a direction that radio is eventually heading anyway but buying a stake in that company will pay some dividends in the “NEAR” future.
Broadcast radio will crash as station managers are forced to balance political speech and nobody listens – remember Air America?
Technorati Tags: Chuck Shumer, Fairness Doctrine
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