'Fairness Doctrine' to be banned

[muman613]

This is encouraging news...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUKN2629472820090226

 By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed an amendment on Thursday that would bar regulators from requiring broadcasters to give equal time to all points of view, a ban strongly supported by some Republican lawmakers.

The legislative amendment, sponsored by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from reimposing the so-called Fairness Doctrine to all broadcasters. It was repealed more than 20 years ago.

Aides to President Barack Obama have said he has no intention of trying to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, but that has not stopped some Republicans from raising the issue.

Free Press, a media advocacy group that opposes bringing back the rule, said the issue was a distraction.

"An uncharitable interpretation is that they (Republicans) need an issue that unites their base and is an easy talking point for conservative radio," said Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press.

Conservative talk show icon Rush Limbaugh recently decried the doctrine in a Wall Street Journal editorial.

DeMint said the doctrine violates the First Amendment and would suppress free speech by letting the government decide what is fair political dialogue.

An appeals court made that ruling, leading the FCC to repeal it in 1987.

Scott's group agrees the government should not be decided what is fair and balanced, but said there is no clamor to bring it back.

The amendment was attached to an unrelated bill on voting rights for Washington, D.C. residents. Whether it will survive in the U.S. House of Representatives is uncertain. (Reporting by Kim Dixon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

[cjd]

This is encouraging news...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUKN2629472820090226

 By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed an amendment on Thursday that would bar regulators from requiring broadcasters to give equal time to all points of view, a ban strongly supported by some Republican lawmakers.

The legislative amendment, sponsored by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from reimposing the so-called Fairness Doctrine to all broadcasters. It was repealed more than 20 years ago.

Aides to President Barack Obama have said he has no intention of trying to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, but that has not stopped some Republicans from raising the issue.

Free Press, a media advocacy group that opposes bringing back the rule, said the issue was a distraction.

"An uncharitable interpretation is that they (Republicans) need an issue that unites their base and is an easy talking point for conservative radio," said Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press.

Conservative talk show icon Rush Limbaugh recently decried the doctrine in a Wall Street Journal editorial.

DeMint said the doctrine violates the First Amendment and would suppress free speech by letting the government decide what is fair political dialogue.

An appeals court made that ruling, leading the FCC to repeal it in 1987.

Scott's group agrees the government should not be decided what is fair and balanced, but said there is no clamor to bring it back.

The amendment was attached to an unrelated bill on voting rights for Washington, D.C. residents. Whether it will survive in the U.S. House of Representatives is uncertain. (Reporting by Kim Dixon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

This is for public consumption however Dick Durban is talking about affirmative action move that would mandate a percentage of active broadcasting companies to be minority owned. The thinking behind this would be the fact that minorities would not want to carry conservative programing. This administration seems to have discovered more can be accomplished through placating the opposition and then doing what they want through back door maneuvers.

[ag337]

I hope this is a step in the right direction.
My fear is that when Obama progressively makes more and more mistakes; conservative  broadcasters will start to come down hard on their criticism of him and inturn, he and all his liberal kooks will cry "foul".
And we will see the liberals scrambling around announcing that the Fairness Doctrine needs to be in place immediately.

Because, as we all know, G@d forbid somebody say something negative about their holy Obama.

[RanterMaximus]

This sounds good.  But laws should be passed that Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage cannot devote 90% of their shows talking about themselves!

[Moshe92]

This sounds good.  But laws should be passed that Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage cannot devote 90% of their shows talking about themselves!

Chaim is so much more unselfish than them.

[RanterMaximus]

Chaim is 1,000 times more useful than those on air bums.  He was the one who got me to realize how worthless they really are.  As I drove home tonight, I noticed that Savage was off again tonight, as it appears he works less than Paris Hilton.  These guys are ton conservatism what excess sugar is too dental care.