"Is Rush Limbaugh Next? (report from Conservative News Conference)

[KoKo]

Is Rush Limbaugh next?

Conservatives fear that Don Imus is the first casualty in a liberal-led media purge to force right-wing talkers off the air.

By Alex Koppelman


April 16, 2007 | WASHINGTON -- First they came for Don Imus. And now they'll come for Rush.

At least, that was the fear at the Free Congress Foundation on April 13, where a panel discussion of an ancient broadcasting regulation quickly turned into a discussion of Don Imus and how his firing might portend a similar fate for some of the right's best-known media personalities. In the absence of any compelling evidence, participants in the latest of the conservative think tank's occasional Next Conservatism Forum series managed to convince themselves that the Fairness Doctrine, a rule that was scrapped by the Federal Communications Commission 20 years ago, was poised for a comeback, and was about to become a weapon in a liberal jihad against the right wing's freedom of speech.

In fact, the prominent conservatives, addressing a crowd of 30 on the ground floor of a Washington row house, described what sounded like a conspiracy. Panelist Ken Blackwell, formerly Ohio's secretary of state and the Republican candidate for governor last fall, said Imus was "not a conservative" and that "the left has sacrificed one of their own to give them a platform to go after true conservative talk show hosts." Cliff Kincaid, of the conservative media watchdog Accuracy in Media, said the Imus firing had been a revelation. "It wasn't exactly clear to me how intended to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, but I think now with the Imus affair, we know ... short leap from firing Imus to going after Rush Limbaugh."

Established in 1949, the Fairness Doctrine was an FCC regulation that required broadcasters to give balance to opposing viewpoints in any opinion programming. Its abolition by the FCC during the Reagan administration is widely credited with making the explosion of conservative talk radio possible.

With the return of the Democrats to power in Congress, conservatives have become concerned that the Fairness Doctrine might be on its way back. William S. Lind, director of the Free Congress Foundation's Center for Cultural Conservatism and moderator of the April 13 panel discussion, said the choice of topics had been occasioned by an "emergency" -- the Fairness Doctrine's seemingly imminent return.

More...with a "free day pass" at Salon.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/04/16/fairness_doctrine/index.html

[snappyturtle]

1. Oh my! What would "Fair and Balanced" Faux News do?

if the Fairness Doctrine is re-inacted?

[chelsea0011]

2. So all the corporate sponsors are liberals? Because that

was the main reason he got fired. When $$$$$$$$$$$ started jumping ship.

[The Count]

3. Fat pig is entrenched in this Administration like a boil on a behind. He goes down

only when they do. Not before.

[waiting for hope]

4. He should be.....

what a sorry excuse of a human being. Do these people that spew hate do it because in essence, they just loath themselves? I have found that people that are comfortable with themselves and have no need to self promote, disdain from that kind of behavior.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Imagine, Christian Conservatives afraid of being fair in the land of the free

Actually I'd rather the right wing haters stay on the air. Keep their sheets off of them.


Please lurkers tell us why limbaugh and hannity are deathly afraid of the FAIRNESS Doctrine. Surely you have been properly indoctrinated to respond mindlessly with a planted talking point.

[saracat]

6. Yesssss!!!!!!!!!

[ellacott]

7. They are so digusting

Rush said on his show that they are coming after him next. He's trying to get the sympathy of his audience. They make the Fairness Doctrine sound like an evil thing. Why are they afraid of fairness(rhetorical quesstion).

It never occurs to them to consider the content of their own conversation and try to do some self reflection. They are so ignorant that they think they have a right to lie, malign and use all types of racist, misogynistic language and no one is supposed to offer their opinion.

[MissMarple]

8. It didn't apply to cable and satellite tv.

Or newspapers or now, the internet. We do need something, though. Faux is a parody and Limpbaugh is insane.