Welcome to ASFN Fan Forums! We're glad to have you here. Please feel free to browse the forum. We'd like to invite you to join our community; doing so will enable you to view additional forums and post with our other members.
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
Location: The Future -- The Land of the Victorious
Posts: 411
A$FN: 1,000
Resist the Fairness Doctrine
The Fairness Doctrine is a measure where all TV and radio stations, if they gave a certain amount of time to one side, would have to give the same amount of time to the other side, for free. If they didn't, their broadcasting liscensce would be in danger of being revoked. Instead of letting the public decide what would be on the air by listening to what they want to listen to and tuning out what they don't, the government would decide.
The Fairness Doctrine violates the First Amendment. Because many don't listen to liberal talk radio (because they don't want to), liberals in Congress are trying to force radio stations to carry liberal talk radio. If the Doctrine was passed, radio stations, fearful of FCC punishment for perceived lack of compliance, would be more reluctant to air their own opinions because it might require them to air alternative views that their audience does not want to hear.
The FCC repealed the rule in 1987. FCC officials found that the doctrine "had the net effect of reducing, rather than enhancing, the discussion of controversial issues of public importance," and therefore was in violation of the Constitution. ("FCC Ends Enforcement of Fairness Doctrine," Federal Communications Commission News, Report No. MM-263, August 4, 1987.) Even liberal New York Governor Mario Cuomo has argued that, "Precisely because radio and TV have become our principal sources of news and information, we should accord broadcasters the utmost freedom in order to insure a truly free press." (Mario Cuomo, "The Unfairness Doctrine," The New York Times, September 20, 1993, p. A19.)
Please, do whatever you must--write to your congressman, organize protests, sign petitions, etc.--to make your voice heard, and that this violation of the First Amendment does not pass.
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
__________________
"Hope Is Not Lost, And It Never Will Be"
I absolutely will not write my Congressman, sign a petition , etc.
Ditto.
__________________
Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
I think we should flesh out the discussion on this.
I tend to be in favor of the doctrine, which as I recall was not prohibited by the courts as "unconstitutional" but rather dispensed with administratively or legislatively during the Clinton administration.
As I see it, it doesn't prohibit either side from exercizing their right to free speech, but rather ensures that the other viewpoint is heard.
The question is whether the government has a sufficient interest in ensuring that both sides of political speech are heard so that the public can have a more accurate understanding.
Here's an example of the one sided presentation we are getting now, that varies right or left depending upon what station you are listening to. I was listening to a conservative station the other night and the guy was railing against Barack Obama's invasion plan to send our tanks, ground troops, and planes across the Pakastani border in a full scale invasion. But Barack said no such thing! It was totally out of context and misleading.
Now a lot of us are sophisticated enough to figure out when we are being lied to. But many many aren't. And I think these one sided lies that generate contempt for the right or the left are a big big reason why our Country is so divided now.
I think we should flesh out the discussion on this.
I tend to be in favor of the doctrine, which as I recall was not prohibited by the courts as "unconstitutional" but rather dispensed with administratively or legislatively during the Clinton administration.
As I see it, it doesn't prohibit either side from exercizing their right to free speech, but rather ensures that the other viewpoint is heard.
The question is whether the government has a sufficient interest in ensuring that both sides of political speech are heard so that the public can have a more accurate understanding.
Here's an example of the one sided presentation we are getting now, that varies right or left depending upon what station you are listening to. I was listening to a conservative station the other night and the guy was railing against Barack Obama's invasion plan to send our tanks, ground troops, and planes across the Pakastani border in a full scale invasion. But Barack said no such thing! It was totally out of context and misleading.
Now a lot of us are sophisticated enough to figure out when we are being lied to. But many many aren't. And I think these one sided lies that generate contempt for the right or the left are a big big reason why our Country is so divided now.
STUPID!!!
You don't like the platform of a particular radio station? Don't listen!! End of story!!
I have two reasons why this doesn't bother me:
First, if 20+% are getting their "news" from political Dj's...yikes!
Second, with all the crying by many conservatives about "liberal media" and the pressure they've put on specific outlets, that they turn around and cry foul now....typical.
No, this docturine doesn't bother me in the least. If this is what it takes to run these morons off the air, then great!
Besides, NOW conservatives want us to see an attack on constitutional freedom of speech...I guess when it effects them it's very important, my response taken from thiers...doesn't effect me!
Last edited by KloD; August 5th, 2007 at 08:27 AM.
You don't like the platform of a particular radio station? Don't listen!! End of story!!
That's a stunningly intelligent comment, but I think it misses the point. All of these stations are licensed to do business by the FCC. Should they be allowed to lie to the American public and mislead them on the biggest issues of our day? Or, should some regulations be reinstituted that would at least allow differnt viewpoints to be heard?
Your comment really doesn't add to the discussion of these issues.
That's a stunningly intelligent comment, but I think it misses the point. All of these stations are licensed to do business by the FCC. Should they be allowed to lie to the American public and mislead them on the biggest issues of our day? Or, should some regulations be reinstituted that would at least allow differnt viewpoints to be heard?
Your comment really doesn't add to the discussion of these issues.
Bingo... The government decided long ago to license and regulate the airwaves. Part of that is to see that we don't end up with "the Nazi channel" or whatever, and that radio/TV really does, to some extent, serve the greater public good. Works for me just fine.
And as a reminder, for those who perhaps conveniently forget, the rights of free speech and press are qualified rights.
__________________
Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
It's amazing that liberals/democrats/the Left so matter-of-factly support government regulating speech they don't like.
__________________
Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
Bingo... The government decided long ago to license and regulate the airwaves. Part of that is to see that we don't end up with "the Nazi channel" or whatever, and that radio/TV really does, to some extent, serve the greater public good. Works for me just fine.
And as a reminder, for those who perhaps conveniently forget, the rights of free speech and press are qualified rights.
Do you not see a distinction between political and non-political speech? There's a huge body of Supreme Court law drawing that distinction, and appropriately so. The same right of the FCC to prohibit the F word during prime-time is not the same as preventing KFYI running non-stop conservative views because that generates the highest ratings and highest revenues for the station (and because it's political speech, and government should stay out of regulating it, period, end of story).
When I saw this thread title, I was thinking there's just a chance it's something everybody agrees on. Obviously not. If you ever want proof that people put political interest over political principle, it's this thread.
And to those in favor of the Fairness Doctrine--argue why it shouldn't apply to equal time for political views at state-funded universities. You can't, at least not logically.
Do you not see a distinction between political and non-political speech? There's a huge body of Supreme Court law drawing that distinction, and appropriately so. The same right of the FCC to prohibit the F word during prime-time is not the same as preventing KFYI running non-stop conservative views because that generates the highest ratings and highest revenues for the station (and because it's political speech, and government should stay out of regulating it, period, end of story).
When I saw this thread title, I was thinking there's just a chance it's something everybody agrees on. Obviously not. If you ever want proof that people put political interest over political principle, it's this thread.
I think the fairness doctrine, as it is now applied now, is to give equal time to all parties in electoral matters. This wouldn't stop Rush from ejecting fecal matter from his mouth on KFYI all day long if he wanted. What it DOES stop is having a channel where, say , Ted Kennedy buyx a radio station and broadcasts his messages all day during the election cycle with nothing from anyone else, not even allowing the other side to buy time.
And with the same respect you show for people who disagree with you, it's interesting that there are people who are against a stand up, fair exchange of ideas and ideology and the guarantee of that thereof.
Kolo... Can you really not see that keeping things roughly fair and square is a huge step against a state run media??? Or worse?
__________________
Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
Cosmic Defender Champion!
Linear Mode
