Public, simple logic both against Fairness Doctrine
Most Americans don’t support a revival of the old Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcast outlets to offer a balance of political viewpoints:
Just 38% of U.S. voters think that the government should require all radio stations to offer equal amounts of conservative and liberal political commentary.
Forty-seven percent (47%) oppose government-imposed political balance on radio stations, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure which course is better.
These findings are a dramatic nine-point drop-off in support for the Fairness Doctrine from a survey last August when 47% said the government should require all radio and television stations to offer balanced political commentary.
While a handful of Democrats continue to raise the possibility in interviews, there’s no sign of any concerted effort to revive the doctrine in Congress, and I hope and believe it will stay that way. With the range of communications outlets available out there, there’s just no need for government to try to force an artificial balance on a particular medium.
Furthermore, having successfully cast Rush Limbaugh as the head of the modern GOP, Barack Obama and the Democrats can’t be seen as now trying to silence the talk-show host and his host of imitators. I mean, why would you make martyrs of people who have already thoroughly alienated themselves from the mainstream?
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178 comments Add your comment
getalife
February 16th, 2009
2:15 pm
A distraction for the base to keep their outrage flowing on RW blogs .
John
February 16th, 2009
2:18 pm
It’s already been proven in the open commercial market that “progressive” (read: socialist) talk radio isn’t viable. Talk is simply a format where a socialist agenda isn’t appealing, because successful talk format requires lively, cerebral debate.
Without scripts or teleprompters, socialists are inevitably bringing knives to gunfights in “open” debates with conservative/Libertarian callers. Nobody wants to listen to that, and advertisers sure as heck don’t want to PAY for shows with no listeners.
Commie Pinko
February 16th, 2009
2:22 pm
As a “bed wtting liberal” (according to AM radio), I see no reason for the ridiculous fairness doctrine. The shrill vitriol and innane blathering of the right-wing bloggers, radio personalities and Fox news-readers is all the “fairness” we need. Please let them keep digging their own hole.
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 16th, 2009
2:23 pm
I don’t listen to talk radio but I’m ok with leaving things the way they are. Listen if you want; turn it off if you want.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:24 pm
Oh way to go Jay. Didn’t take but a couple minutes for the socialist can’t produce a radio show guy to chime in.
I always love it when someone remarks that something has been proven – the only thing that has ever been proven, or rather that is absolute is that we were all born, and that we’ll all die someday.
@@
February 16th, 2009
2:24 pm
Enlighten me, jay! Did Obama and the democrats listen to the folks when the majority said “get out of Iraq”?
Did Obama and the democrats listen to the folks when the majority said “cut the pork”?
Did Obama and the democrats listen to the folks when the majority opposed the government bailouts?
The first and last could also apply to republicrats. Neither did they listen, but when push came to shove they fought hard to eliminate the pork. The folks will remember that.
What makes you think the dems are gonna listen to the folks when it comes to The Fairness Doctrine?
Haven’t you heard? With Obama it’s “the words” that matter. He doesn’t like competing with the words that come from talk radio. He’s out to silence the competition ’cause He Won.
Commie Pinko
February 16th, 2009
2:26 pm
Nothing like the cerebral “debate” of a four hour long monologue mixed with commercials for subprime loans, gold buyers, and similar hucksters. How very cerebral. (chuckle chuckle)
Class of '98
February 16th, 2009
2:32 pm
Conservative voters listen to talk radio. Democrat voters listen to Star 94.
GodHatesTrash
February 16th, 2009
2:32 pm
Let’s face it, so-called “conservative” radio is trash, listened to by same. It is little more than whining, moaning and “tough-talk” from loud-mouthed whackjob chickenhawks and losers.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:34 pm
Class of ‘98 –
That’s pretty funny – actually, I thought all the pinko liberals listened to NPR.
bdatlanta
February 16th, 2009
2:35 pm
We don’t need the government telling us what to listen to.
If people need to listen to Hannity and Limbaugh for guidance on how they should think, then they should have every right to tune in. Sad, sad…just sad.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:37 pm
I had a guy tell me the other day that Boortz had said on his show that millions of dollars in the stiumulus package had been put in for the porn industry, but the Republicans had stripped it out.
He believed it. I told him that’s real convenient to say something like that was put in then taken out by the Republicans, it couldn’t be proven either way, and because Boortz said it, then I guess it’s true.
Doggone/GA
February 16th, 2009
2:38 pm
“We don’t need the government telling us what to listen to”
The Fairness Doctrine would NOT tell “us what to listen to” anymore than the lack of it now “tells us what to listen to” It would only dictate what broadcast stations must broadcast. You can always turn it off if you don’t like it, or don’t want to hear it.
John
February 16th, 2009
2:38 pm
Ah, yes, we all know advertisers are climbing all OVER themselves trying to buy time on Air(-head) America programming-heavy affiliates and their whopping 1.3 Arbitron share average.
bdatlanta
February 16th, 2009
2:38 pm
It’s quite apparent right-wing radio is all about showmanship and entertainment. The right-wing radio guys and gals just relay the latest talking points they were given by the GOP. There is nothing to learn from those shows…in fact, sometimes its just kinda fun to listen to pick out all the lies and misdirection they are offering up.
At least you can actually learn something from NPR.
Class of '98
February 16th, 2009
2:40 pm
Hey Bosch, which is dumber, “a guy” who believes everything Boortz says, or you believing everything “a guy” says?
By the way, I plan to live forever. So far, so good.
John
February 16th, 2009
2:42 pm
Doggone, the “Fairness” Doctrine (which is about as opposite a name as “Employee Free Choice Act”) is akin to telling a privately-held company that they HAVE to allocate a percentage of their resources to producing a product that NOBODY WANTS, in lieu of concentrating on products that are marketable.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:43 pm
Does Air America still exist? I thought it bombed out years ago. I get it, it didn’t work, I don’t care. It was probably just as lame as any conservative talk show – political hack talk shows are all lame.
bdatlanta
February 16th, 2009
2:45 pm
Doggone,
Doggone,
If you want to listen to a specific channel that is talk radio and the gov’t has specified that that channel must present alternate viewpoints, then, yes, they are telling you what you can listen to. If you don’t like that channel, change it to another channel but – oh no – same thing going on there too.
They are telling you what you can listen to.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:46 pm
Class of ‘98,
Well, the guy who said it believe it, I usually take people at their word.
You plan to live forever? Are you a vampire or something?
John
February 16th, 2009
2:50 pm
Of course, I realize that the “F”D would, in essence, be the government putting limitations on how profitable a company (stations’ parent company) could be……..which is a GOOD thing in the eyes of socialists. Profits are bad. Bad companies!….bad, bad!
Mrs. Godzilla
February 16th, 2009
2:53 pm
John
Please post the data on this statement:
“It’s already been proven in the open commercial market that “progressive” (read: socialist) talk radio isn’t viable”
The statement is simply not true.
I don’t want to tell owners how to run their business….I do however want to remind owners that they are only renting our airwaves and they do have a responsibility to provide for the common good using our airwaves.
Rush, Rush and more Rush does not provide for the common good now does it?
Media consolidation has not been good for us.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:55 pm
Actually, the government already tells us what we can listen to, or rather, what we can’t.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
2:55 pm
Mrs. G.,
I was wondering if John could tell us what a Socialist is.
Joe
February 16th, 2009
2:58 pm
Class of ‘98 and the rest of your right wingers:
The reason that liberal talk radio isn’t as popular as conservative talk radio is that Liberals read…
gttim
February 16th, 2009
2:59 pm
Rather than see a fairness doctrine, I would like to see limits on the number of media outlets corporations can own. Right now a limited number of corporations control a vast majority and can limit the news we do hear on public airwaves. The greater the number of media outlets owned by varying people, the more diverse programs we will see and hear. We might also avoid the homogenization of media that we get from corporations like Clear Channel.
I would also like to see station and cable channel owners have to divest themselves of supplying cable and satellite signals to house. Vertical integration allows corporations to restrict what they want to show. Example: MSNBC is not as widely available as Fox News because of this.
John
February 16th, 2009
3:00 pm
Mrs Godzilla,
An average 1.3 share by Air America affiliates in major markets is NOT conducive to long-term viability in the commercial radio market.
Note, this does NOT include long-running programming such as NPR which receives public radio funding and government grants.
AJC/DNC Management
February 16th, 2009
3:01 pm
Nice sensible column Jay, good job.
Midori
February 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
Mrs. G,
I suspect I know where John got his data: he pulled it out of a certain orifice.
Class of '98
February 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
Please post data on this statement:
“Rush, Rush and more Rush does not provide for the common good”
This statement is simply not true.
Midori
February 16th, 2009
3:03 pm
Joe,
another reason that liberal talk radio isn’t as popular as conservative talk radio is all conservative radio sells is hate — something that wingers eat up with gusto.
gttim
February 16th, 2009
3:04 pm
The reason that liberal talk radio isn’t as popular as conservative talk radio is that Liberals read…
You know, I find that to be so true. All my family members are big readers except one. Guess who is the black sheep Republican in the bunch? Most liberals I know are big readers, the conservatives not so much. My one quazi conservative friend started reading a lot while he traveled for work. It was amazing to watch his political opinion change over time. Sadly, his wife won’t read…..
I won’t watch any TV news now. I would much rather read a good story than have some bimbo try and tell me about it. Plus TV and radio news is more about sensationalism than reporting. If I feel the need to listen to news, however, it is the BBC.
John
February 16th, 2009
3:05 pm
Yes, Melon Balls, the orifice is known as Arbitron (Spring, 2008)
Midori
February 16th, 2009
3:08 pm
is that what you call your rear, John?
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
3:10 pm
Class of ‘98,
Soooo. Are you a vampire?
gttim,
I like BBC America.
Mrs. Godzilla
February 16th, 2009
3:10 pm
John
Wow! What a source! Such a detailed link! Nearly information overload!
Maybe you should listen to Ed Schultz.
TnGelding
February 16th, 2009
3:14 pm
AJC/DNC Management
February 16th, 2009
3:01 pm
Are you feeling well?
This is all much ado about nothing. Just gives the right something to stir up the base.
@@
February 16th, 2009
3:15 pm
I don’t listen to conservative talk radio, but have they ever wished anybody dead?
Heck! Liberal posters here have celebrated the death of conservatives time and time again. I’ve seen videos where liberal commentators have too.
Liberal compassion — it’s a good thing?
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
3:15 pm
Hi ya Midori!
Did ya’ have a nice Valentine’s Day? Mrs. G apparently had French Toast. I made jerk chicken for the fam – it’s way better than cards.
Mrs. Godzilla
February 16th, 2009
3:24 pm
Class of 98
Do you truly believe in airing only one side of any issue?
Do you really believe that media consolidation is good for America?
Read me!
AJC/DNC Management
February 16th, 2009
3:25 pm
Geez, anyone who posts regular content from the Daily Kooks and the Huff and Puff sure has a lot of nerve calling Rush Limbaugh a hater.
Mrs. Godzilla
February 16th, 2009
3:25 pm
Oh, the read me…..some ideas why Rush, Rush and more Rush isn’t so good.
AJC/DNC Management
February 16th, 2009
3:28 pm
Change of subject yes, but this is the quote of the week-
McCain’s friend and Republican colleague in the Senate, Lindsey O. Graham of South Carolina, was harsher, saying on ABC’s “This Week”: “If this is going to be bipartisanship, the country is screwed.”
And coming from a squishy moderate too.
Heh
Midori
February 16th, 2009
3:29 pm
Hi ya Boschie,
jerk chicken? yummm………
Midori
February 16th, 2009
3:35 pm
Bosch/Mrs. G,
google “hate radio” and see what you get.
Mrs. Godzilla
February 16th, 2009
3:37 pm
Damn….the read me link didn’t work.
So I’ll stay low tech:
And here are some examples of misstatements, lies, and distortions from The Rush Limbaugh Show:
Limbaugh lied about 9-11 Commission report
Limbaugh falsely claimed “Nobody ever said there was” a connection between Iraq, 9-11 attacks
Limbaugh misrepresented Duelfer report on Iraqi WMDs
Limbaugh lied about AIDS
Limbaugh overstated the minimum wage
Limbaugh made false claims about the Democratic National Convention
Limbaugh distorted the Kyoto Protocol
Limbaugh falsely accused Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Limbaugh claimed Clintons are funding Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
Limbaugh lied to defend Swift Boat Vets
Limbaugh misstated Pew report on journalists
Limbaugh mischaracterized the federal deficit
Limbaugh misstated federal education spending
Limbaugh lied about Bush’s false uranium claim
Media Matters
NOW, I expect you to complain about the source, I figure you haven’t got the ability to argue their points.
Taxpayer
February 16th, 2009
3:43 pm
In all fairness, Jay, I don’t think your blogs would be nearly as entertaining if left solely to the antics of the less-right-of-center folks. We’re clearly not endowed with such colorful language and spirited conversation as some of the farther-right-of-far-right folks that like to dump a line from time to time. Then again, now that you have cleaned up some acts, I notice that some of those people are not nearly as entertaining as they once were.
Some folks do manage to slip a good one in occasionally though. For example,
Bosch got me to chuckle with this one:
2:37 pm
I had a guy tell me the other day that Boortz had said on his show that millions of dollars in the stimulus package had been put in for the porn industry, but the Republicans had stripped it out.
Granted, the choice of words may have been purely coincidental. But, it was cute.
Chad Harris
February 16th, 2009
3:50 pm
Some clown here thinks that the summers are getting colder because like a predictable Wingnut he believes George Will when Will makes it up. In response to Will’s fiction on global warming:
Will and Management are Making it Up; Decrease in Sea Ice Since ‘79 size of Texas, California, and Oklahoma combined.
We do not know where George Will is getting his information, but our data shows that on February 15, 1979, global sea ice area was 16.79 million sq. km and on February 15, 2009, global sea ice area was 15.45 million sq. km. Therefore, global sea ice levels are 1.34 million sq. km less in February 2009 than in February 1979. This decrease in sea ice area is roughly equal to the area of Texas, California, and Oklahoma combined.
It is disturbing that the Washington Post would publish such information without first checking the facts.
Disturbing Yes; Surprising that WaPO would utter Wingnut Crazziness Hell No.
Class of '98
February 16th, 2009
3:52 pm
Nah, I’ve got more than enough ability, I just don’t have the time.
You asked if I believe in only airing one side of the issue.
No, I do not. I see liberal viewpoints regugitated ad naseum on a daily basis from the AJC, NYT, La Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, SF Chronical, CNN, MSNBC, Time, Newsweekm, Saturday Night Live, Letterman, and about a million other media outlets that ARE NOT on AM radio.
I read the Op/Ed page of every major newspaper in this country on a daily basis. Talk radio is just balancing things out a bit.
And I AM NOT going to get into a debate as to whether or not there is a liberal media bias. We might as well debate whether or not the Sun rises in the east.
Bosch
February 16th, 2009
3:55 pm
Taxpayer,
I’m not that clever – it was a coincidence on my part. But I’m glad I made you laugh, you know, I do what I have to sometimes!