Remember that fight against a revival of the Fairness Doctrine that Stephen Green talked about last week ?
Looks like it’s time to at least make sure the powder is dry:
In a stunning admission most Democrats have been unwilling to make in public, a New Mexico senator has revealed his desire to eliminate commercial talk radio and its opposition voices as soon as it is politically feasible.
With the possibility of a Democratic Party supermajority after the upcoming elections, Jeff Bingaman may soon get his wish to quash dissenting viewpoints.
During an interview with KOB/ Albuquerque host Jim Villanucci, Bingaman overtly stated his full support for imposing Fairness Doctrine restrictions on free speech which would effectively shut down talk radio as we know it today.
Here’s an audio clip of the exchange:
The battle isn’t ending on Election Day by any means.
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October 23rd, 2008 at 9:19 am
[...] Below The Beltway: The Battle Against The Fairness Doctrine Begins - Remember that fight against a revival of the Fairness Doctrine that Stephen Green talked about last week? Looks like it’s time to at least make sure the powder is dry… [...]
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:54 am
Not going anywhere, and everyone knows it. The supposed reimposition of the Fairness Doctrine is little more than a rallying tool for the right. (Funny, at the National Religious Broadcasters Assoc. meeting I attended years ago (04?), their two primary concerns were the Fairness Doctrine and hate crimes laws. Both were the subjects of feigned outrage from the podium/pulpit, but no owner/broadcaster I talked to about it there had actual concerns about either. It’s just a stunt.
That said, I’ll grant that there does appear to be some public support for it among my citizen brethren on the left. But that’s mostly because they don’t seem to have really thought through/grasped what the Fairness Doctrine would require.
~
I do, however, support some Congressional action slapping the FCC around and reminding it of its statutory duty to take the public interest into account in its licensing decisions.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I’m not so casual about this rising threat, and yes, it remains a threat until it is completely over turned in the courts.
The rumble is that Obama is working on just this issue. Although it may not come out under that title, the aim will still be to quash free speech and close down talk radio critics of the liberal agenda.
You can bet my powder’s dry, and the my kit bag packed! If radio has to be fair, then so should the major network news programs on television! Now THAT would have been a laugh, to see them offering McCain the same fawning oblation as they did Obama.