The Fairness Doctrine & Ronald Reagan

[Dzone]

TweetHeard a rumor yesterday that Obama wants to enact the fairness doctrine again. Reagan vetoed it out of existence. If so, it would probably eliminate conservative talk shows like Rush Limbaugh unless the liberals are given equal time. A crock of shit because liberal radio talk shows are about non-existent. The ones that do exist totally suck. Is it true that Obama wants to bring it back?
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The fairness doctrine remains just beneath the surface of concerns over broadcasting and cablecasting, and some members of congress continue to threaten to pass it into legislation. Currently, however, there is no required balance of controversial issues as mandated by the fairness doctrine. The public relies instead on the judgment of broadcast journalists and its own reasoning ability to sort out one-sided or distorted coverage of an issue. Indeed, experience over the past several years since the demise of the doctrine shows that broadcasters can and do provide substantial coverage of controversial issues of public importance in their communities, including contrasting viewpoints, through news, public affairs, public service, interactive and special programming.

In the spring of 1987, both houses of Congress voted to put the fairness doctrine into law--a statutory fairness doctrine which the FCC would have to enforce, like it or not. But President Reagan, in keeping with his deregulatory efforts and his long-standing favor of keeping government out of the affairs of business, vetoed the legislation. There were insufficient votes to override the veto. Congressional efforts to make the doctrine into law surfaced again during the Bush administration. As before, the legislation was vetoed, this time by Bush.

[Klash]

Tweet

Heard a rumor yesterday that Obama wants to enact the fairness doctrine again. Reagan vetoed it out of existence. If so, it would probably eliminate conservative talk shows like Rush Limbaugh unless the liberals are given equal time. A crock of shit because liberal radio talk shows are about non-existent. The ones that do exist totally suck. Is it true that Obama wants to bring it back?
~~~~~~~~

The fairness doctrine remains just beneath the surface of concerns over broadcasting and cablecasting, and some members of congress continue to threaten to pass it into legislation. Currently, however, there is no required balance of controversial issues as mandated by the fairness doctrine. The public relies instead on the judgment of broadcast journalists and its own reasoning ability to sort out one-sided or distorted coverage of an issue. Indeed, experience over the past several years since the demise of the doctrine shows that broadcasters can and do provide substantial coverage of controversial issues of public importance in their communities, including contrasting viewpoints, through news, public affairs, public service, interactive and special programming.

In the spring of 1987, both houses of Congress voted to put the fairness doctrine into law--a statutory fairness doctrine which the FCC would have to enforce, like it or not. But President Reagan, in keeping with his deregulatory efforts and his long-standing favor of keeping government out of the affairs of business, vetoed the legislation. There were insufficient votes to override the veto. Congressional efforts to make the doctrine into law surfaced again during the Bush administration. As before, the legislation was vetoed, this time by Bush.

I don't know for sure but that sounds like something that would be consistent with his ideology. Pelosi, I know is a big advocate of the fairness doctrine.