NPR: Senior Dems May Try to Bring Back Fairness Doctrine

Senior Dems May Try to Bring Back Fairness Doctrine

Last week, a liberal think tank released a report showing that talk radio programming is overwhelmingly conservative. Since then, lots of politicians and bloggers on the right have been crying foul over talk of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, a federal policy killed in the 1980s that required stations to make an effort to give even consideration to opposing views.

The conservatives' reaction seemed over the top, considering only a couple Democratic congressmen were saying they wanted to revive the doctrine.

However, The Hill reports today that two senior Senate Democrats, Dick Durbin and Dianne Feinstein, are also saying they're interested in bringing the doctrine back to life.

If Democratic leaders are serious about pursuing it, that would confirm those conservative concerns.

One has to wonder what advantage the Democrats see in such a move. President Bush would likely veto any such bill if it ever hit his desk. It's the kind of issue that would unite the GOP base in a year of party unrest over Iraq and the immigration bill. And the demographic that listens to talk radio seems unlikely to swing massively to the left, even if it does hear more liberal points of view.

Then there's the fact that conservative dominance of talk radio didn't stop the GOP from losing control of Congress in the 2006 elections.

Still, Republican Rep. Mike Pence, who worked as a syndicated talk radio host in Indiana before winning election to the House, wants to keep the doctrine in the grave. He's introducing legislation that would codify the Federal Communications Commission's decision to kill it.

6:07 PM ET | 06-27-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

I hope LIBERAL NPR is subject to this too. yeah Right !!!!!!

Sent by Jim | 6:14 PM ET | 06-27-2007

I guess the fairness doctrine would apply to NPR, mainstream media, Hollywood as well? Are the liberals just targeting radio, did I hear Hugo Chavez

Sent by Phil Carl | 6:57 PM ET | 06-27-2007

Conglomerates have a firm grip on all media. If this passes, the citizens will be better informed. Maybe the voices of reason will begin to get louder

Sent by Ryan | 8:12 PM ET | 06-27-2007

While NPR offers good coverage of "real" news, it's liberal bias is undeniable. Having listened to NPR news and programs every day of his life my six-year-old son once asked me,"Do you have to be a Democrat to work for NPR?" More people need to know that NPR is supported by their taxes. I think the Fairness Doctrine should only apply to those who partake of taxpayer's hard-earned money.

Sent by Rachel | 6:58 AM ET | 06-28-2007

I do some work with the NAB, and the so-called Fairness Doctrine would in theory effect all broadcast radio and television. So, yes, that includes NPR but does not include Hollywood or the non-broadcast elements of the mainstream media, as Phil Carl suggests. In the third comment, Ryan unintentionally points out one of the chief fallacies surrounding the notion of the Fairness Doctrine, namely that "citizens will be better informed" and "voices of reason will begin to get louder." If history is any indicator, this assertion is simply not true. During the original incarnation of the Fairness Doctrine, broadcasters shied away from airing issue based content, as doing so was easier than attempting to cover every perspective of an issue. As a result, the public was actually less informed than they would have been were free discussion allowed to take place. In an era of both terrestrial and satellite radio; broadcast, cable, and satellite television; and the ever-expanding Internet, consumers have countless options when it comes to getting their information and every perspective of any issue is readily available. Simply put, the notion and usefulness of legislating "fairness" on the airwaves is obsolete, and any attempt to do so will only deprive the public of passioned discussion of the issues and cut into the advertising revenue on which broadcasters rely.

Sent by Nabisco | 9:53 AM ET | 06-28-2007

As much as I (a liberal) like the concept of The Fairness Doctrine, as Nabisco points out, media owners will simply drop certain types of coverage to avoid worrying about compliance. Especially when one considers that most media owners (as well as op-ed editors) are conservative.

I will note, however, that the cries on the right of "it's censorship!" in terms of the THEORY of the Fairness Doctrine seem a bit silly. Asking for more voices to be heard is actually the opposite of censorship.

They are right, however, that in practice that may happen (due the aforementioned change in content).

I'll also note that the "free market" has nothing to do with the stranglehold the right has on talk radio. Take a look at the ownership of talk radio stations and you'll see why so many conservative voices are out there. It has nothing to do with demand and everything to do with owners hiring those they want to hear.

Sent by Mark | 12:14 PM ET | 06-28-2007

Two words: 'Air America.'

Don't say that free market has nothing to do with it. If it attracts an audience, it will sell advertising. If it sells advertising, stations will air it.

I consider myself a centrist. I think NPR leans to the left. Talk radio is clearly most conservatives. I listen to both because in my view 90% of the time the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Let's call the fairness doctrine what it really is: an attempt to limit free speech. I don't care what kind of crazy thing you have to say, the Constitution protects it regardless of how many people agree with you.

Sent by Adam Ray | 3:00 PM ET | 06-28-2007

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