Revival of the Fairness Doctrine is Stupid, Part II

The revival of the fairness doctrine by the FCC is seeming to gather steam. Here, Sen. Kerry speaks briefly on why he thinks something needs to be done with the state of views expressed in the media today.

The overwhelming opinion in support of the revival of the fairness doctrine seems to be something to the effect of, "More views will be expressed if the FCC monitors and requires both sides of political debate to be discussed."

Here's the problem with that argument, in my opinion. The only way the FCC could enforce that radio and TV stations complied with the new rule is to have some arbitrary fine or consequence in place. What would probably happen is that stations would stop broadcasting many opinions at all in fear that they would violate the rule. The FCC agreed with this line of thinking in '87 when it repealed the fairness rule by stating the rule "had the net effect of reducing, rather than enhancing, the discussion of controversial issues of public importance." ("FCC Ends Enforcement of Fairness Doctrine," Federal Communications Commission News, Report No. MM-263, August 4, 1987.)

The other scary prospect involved is that a government agency would be responsible for monitoring all broadcasts in order to fairly enforce a rule designed to ensure fairness. How in the world would even all major stations be monitored "fairly" with the extreme proliferation of media outlets even since 1987?

I'm Sick and the Revival of the Fairness Doctrine is Stupid

I haven't posted in a few days because of some type of stomach flu like illness that has really given me the business.

There has been some rumblings recently of reviving the Fairness Doctrine in regards to talk radio. Sen. Inhofe(R-OK) supposedy heard Sens. Clinton (D-NY) and Boxer (D-CA)discussing a legislative "fix" to conservative talk radio. It seems now that the conversation in question didn't happen recently and was used by Inhofe to stir the ever bubbling political cauldron.

However, the group Center for American Progress issued a report and that looking as recent as Spring '07, which stated "of the 257 news/talk stations owned by the top five commercial station owners, 91 percent of the total weekday talk radio programming was conservative."

AND? The reason, plain and simple, that most of talk radio programming is conservative is that is what has made money for the commercial radio stations. These stations are in broadcasting to make money. If the majority of folks liked listening to thrash metal then that's what the majority of stations would play.

I'm sure there will be some that read this that will point to the nefarious Right Wing Conspiracy, which is absurd as Liberals plotting to squash all things American.

America still is a place that thrives on capitalism. You have an idea, product, service that people want and it's marketed correctly, people will buy it, or in this case listen to it.