The Media Malpractice Going On...Is This What Throwing Out the Fairness Doctrine Has Brought Us?

[thomhartmann]

[fredamae]

1. I'd say so-Reagan = Fairness Doctrine and Cliinton

= 1996 Telecommunications Act-together they gave us what we have today.

[Faux pas]

2. Those of us with

critical thinking skills are all to wise to that crap. We're feeling the Bern without their influence. Thanks for posting this.

[ladjf]

3. Politics in America is now almost 100% rigged by the oligarchs and other unbridled Capitalist. nt

[Uncle Joe]

4. That was an outstanding interview!

Thanks for sharing, thomhartmann.

[appalachiablue]

5. 90% of US Media is RW corporate consolidated monopolies since the Fairness Doctrine

was ignored by Reagan, and Clinton's media deregulation in 1996 with Telcomm Act. This must change. Break them up!



>"ARE WE TOO STUPID TO SAVE OURSELVES?" by OPOL/One Pissed Off Liberal, March 17, Daily Kos.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/17/1502819/-Are-we-too-stupid-to-save-ourselves

[chknltl]

6. KnR nt

[RATM435]

7. Don't forget about the telecommunications act of 1996 that bill clinton sign into law.

The clintons enablers of the media that has all but ignored bernie sanders.

[WillyT]

8. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[zebonaut]

9. #OccupytheMedia

[Phlem]

10. In a word....

yep.

[MGKrebs]

11. The Fairness Doctrine was doomed anyway.

The whole premise was that there was limited broadcast channels available so it was important for disparate viewpoints to be presented by broadcasters. As cable and satellite and internet broadcasters proliferated that justification kind of evaporated. There is no shortage of varied viewpoints now!

If they were going to continue with the Fairness Doctrine, should it also apply to cable, the internet? Would a site like this have to have some balance? Or just the original TV wavelengths? How do you justify that?

I wish we could do better, like somehow define' news' so that we could regulate responsible news givers, but alas, I think it is unrealistic. I think this is a consequence of freedom+technology+capitalism.

[Cleita]

13. Enforcing it in just one media, say television, will push those others to be more honest.

People will start going to the news they trust and the other lying media will suffer from lack of clients so they will have to compete by having to be more trustworthy.

[MGKrebs]

14. Maybe so, but televison networks would not stand for that.

They would claim a competitive disadvantage and insist everybody be included or none.

And I doubt what you say would happen anyway. There are some pretty good, objective news sources out there now, the Guardian, AP, maybe CSPAN... I don't see a rush for other outlets to be more like them.

I wish you were right, I just don't see it.

[Cleita]

17. If it were enforced, they would have to pay either fines or even jail time.

People who are at work all day and many who still don't have cable will turn on a broadcast channel like ABC or premium cable like Fox. They don't have the time or will to look up the Guardian, AP or C-Span. If you could force Fox to be honest that would be a big one.

[jhart3333]

15. Yes, they got it wrong. It should apply to the commons.

And yes, we have a little problem with fairness here as well as at DKos. Assuming that it's doomed is not a way forward.

[Cleita]

12. I'm under the impression that the Fairness Doctrine is still out there. It's just

that it's not enforced. Maybe it's time to start pushing our pols to insist on enforcement.

[zentrum]

16. +1

[MGKrebs]

21. Well, it was just a 'policy' of the FCC, not a law.

They have changed their policy.

[ananda]

18. That and allowing media conglomeration.

..

[Fast Walker 52]

19. great segment-- the media is criminal and sickening

Les Moonves is a POS.

[Duval]

20. The "Media" has had a rightward slant since the 80's.

I didn't have a computer then and many people don't have one now. The air waves are supposed to belong to the people, not Corporations. Except for FSTV and an hour and 1/2 of RT in the evenings, we don't have a balance in the news. I have been listening to you, Dr. Hartmann, for years and always loved the Brunch With Bernie segment. We donated to FSTV two days ago, with the hopes that the idea will spread. We owe you, Thom Hartmann, and Amy Goodman. Your voices need to be heard by everyone in the US. With a dumbed down media, we are falling behind in knowledge, hence the damn Iraq War and other blunders.

Without an Informed Public, how can we reach critical decisions, such as VOTING for the most qualified person?

Thank you, thomhartmann.

[KoKo]

22. .....!