Fairness Doctrine-Lite
"As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt told FoxNews.com
As Townhall Magazine Editor Chris Field reminds me, Obama could impose sort of a Fairness Doctrine-light while maintaining his opposition to it.
CNSNews.com Editor Terry Jeffrey wrote a great piece for Townhall Magazine's February issue explaining this. Jeffrey dug up a 2007 letter Obama wrote to the FCC in which explained his support for increasing minority ownership in print and broadcast media. Jeffrey argues this would have the effect of diminishing right-wing media on the airwaves, which is the Fairness Doctrine's intention.
Obama wrote: "Minority owned and operated newspapers and radio stations play a critical role in African American and Latino communities to the forefront of our national discussion. However, the commission has failed to further the goals of diversity in the media and promote localism, and as a result, it is in no position to justify allowing for increased consolidation of the market."
Obama also called on the FCC to create a panel to study "minority and small business media ownership, and complete a proceeding on the responsibilities that broadcasters have to the communities in which they operate."