In 1982, under the leadership of Chairman Richard E. Wiley, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) repealed a major broadcasting
restriction, the Fairness Doctrine. There were howls of protest from
conservatives who did not understand the effect this action would have
upon the broadcast industry.
Some even pleaded for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. That
is because prior to 1982 conservatives had had so little access to the
media they wanted to use government to force stations to give them a few
minutes to reply to a controversial issue.
What they didn't understand was that the FCC action paved the way for
Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mike Reagan, Mark Levin, Janet Parshall and
the host of other syndicated radio shows. In addition there are some
1,100 local conservative talk-show hosts. At the time AM radio was going
down the drain. Stations were sold for a song. Some even went off the
air. Why? Because no one under age 30 had even heard of AM radio. FM was
the rage. The FCC action saved AM radio. In the process, controversial
issues could be discussed without the need for the Fairness Doctrine.
Liberals have tried to imitate what conservatives have done with radio.
First, they tried various programs. They all failed. Then with Air
America they were going to try to put a network together. In case you
haven't heard, it went belly up. Now they are trying again. Likely they
will fail. Why? Because of the hopelessness of their message. A third of
self-professed liberals listen to conservative talk radio. Why ? Because
we offer hope.
I say we because the Free Congress Foundation has an hour show each
Friday on Rightalk Radio ( http://www.rightalk.com )
at 1:00 PM EST.
Now that Democrats will have majorities in both Houses of Congress they
want to attempt to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine, which would
effectively shut down conservative talk radio. How do I know? Because
liberals in Congress have said so.
Under the law regulatory agencies such as the FCC have a majority and
minority status depending on which President is in power. The Free
Congress Foundation has decided to make the preservation of talk radio a
major effort. First, we want to be sure if President George W. Bush is
able to nominate any potential FCC Commissioner that the nominee would
oppose reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine, whether he nominated a
Democrat or a Republican. Next we want to secure commitments from
Senators that they will filibuster any nominee put up by a subsequent
Democratic occupant of the White House who seeks to re-impose the
Fairness Doctrine or its equivalent. We want to press for legislation
which would outlaw re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine.
Some of you may support some type of re-regulation upon the ground that
it would rid the airwaves of raunchy material. The FCC took care of that
problem by enacting far greater fines than ever in history so all
stations which carry filth can be penalized. Further, the FCC ruled that
if a network carried the show every affiliate must be fined. The fine
was 30 times higher than the previous fines.
That was the reason that Howard Stern took himself off AM radio and on
to satellite, which at this time is not regulated.
Continued... |