The Talk Radio "Fairness" Debate

First off, welcome to my 100th post on Common Sense.

I want to jump right into this issue because it is something that poses a threat to our freedoms. I speak of the infamous Media Fairness Doctrine.

For those who do not know, the Fairness Doctrine was instituted in the late 1960's as a measure requiring broadcast licensees to present "controversial issues of public importance in an honest, equal and balanced manner." It was repealed by the FCC in 1987 as many aspects of it were questioned by the courts. Although the court system never got the chance to declare the doctrine unconstitutional before it was pulled, they did state in Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo that it "inescapably dampens the vigor and limits the variety of public debate."

Now the doctrine is being reconsidered because of a slant in the radio media to the right. A new study does show proof (ratings and programming lineups) that conservative talk radio dominates liberal talk in most major cities and areas nationwide. Feel free to check out all the statistics and the full report here. With this report, liberals now claim that they are not getting a "fair shake" when it comes to their point of view being heard.

With that, let me rewind to March 31, 2004. Air America, new national radio network of "progressive" (liberal) talk radio shows, has just launched. They hold liberal hosts such as comedian Al Franken, Randi Rhodes and many others as they hit the airwaves with talk radio from the liberal POV. Fast forward just 2 and a half years later to October 13, 2006. Air America files for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to remain on air while resolving their financial failures. Within a couple months, Air America is sold and revampted, then relaunched with a "new and improved" lineup at the end of May 2007 as Air America 2.0. They retain only 1 of their initial hosts and continue their struggle to find a market of people who will listen.

Bottom line: The liberal point of view isn't being listen to by the American audience. As such, they have not made money. On the other side of the spectrum, conservative talk is being listened to by millions upon millions everyday. Liberals (of course) see this as a major issue in "fairness" and now believe the answer is to once again silence the conservative voice in media and return to the liberal monopoly of pre-1987. This type of forced political suppression in the media can be seen today on the global level (check out Hugo).

My point is that many Democrats today are beginning to take the fight to the source of their opposition: The voice of conservative opinion itself. Apparently they really think we the people are that stupid and naive. With this line of thinking, they assume that Americans will listen and subscribe to whatever point of view is forced onto us via the "free" airwaves.

Fairness is allowing the people to present, subscribe and/or reject different points of view. Simply because one side produces a greater following than the other does not mean we need to silence voices and opinion in exchange for a kind of "political balance."

It would make for some intense political gain before 2008 in the Dem's favor, don't you think?

By the way, if you really want to know whose being "fair" in their reporting, go ahead and research the high and mighty media.

**UPDATE** Sen James Inhofe stated on 6/23 that Senators Clinton and Boxer wanted a "fix" for conservative talk radio 3 years ago. "They were outraged by something Rush Limbaugh or somebody said that upset them. They said, 'We have got to do something about this, these are nothing but far-right wing extremists. We’ve got to have a balance, there’s got to be a legislative fix to this.'"