Mike Pence (R-Ind.) pushes vote against Fairness Doctrine (equal time for liberal talk radio)

[dajoki]

Pence pushes vote against Fairness Doctrine
By Klaus Marre
October 17, 2007
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) filed a discharge petition Wednesday to force a vote on legislation to ban the so-called Fairness Doctrine.
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“The time has come to do away with the Fairness Doctrine once and for all,” the lawmaker said on the House floor. Pence’s legislation would require an act of Congress before the Fairness Doctrine, which would require broadcasters to give time to both sides on an issue, can be implemented.

A discharge petition allows a lawmaker to force an up-or-down vote in the House if it is signed by a majority of members.

“To my colleagues in Congress I respectfully say: If you oppose the Fairness Doctrine, sign the petition. If you cherish the dynamic national asset that is American talk radio, sign the petition. If you simply believe that broadcast freedom deserves an up-or-down vote on the floor of the people’s House, sign the petition,” Pence said.

Republicans strongly oppose the Fairness Doctrine, saying it is a tool Democrats use to attack conservative talk show hosts.

They are worried that forcing stations to make equal time for liberal talk radio would cut into profits so severely that radio executives would choose to scale back on conservative programming to avoid rising costs and interference from the government

[BanzaiBonnie]

1. Why would anyone want to ban fairness?

Just a thought.

Yeah, this combined with FCC commissioner push to loosen media restrictions... what does it all mean?

[dajoki]

8. Repubs have never cared too much for fairness n/t

[Ian David]

2. It's not "Equal Time," it's just fairness. Republickers hate fairness...

almost as much as they hate freedom.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Here's a question for them

If you think that the republicans are doing nothing wrong by monopolizing the airwaves and spreading lies, than why would you object to the law that says you must tell the truth and their should be equal time?

[dajoki]

5. Because they don't like the truth n/t

[NYVet]

4. From what I heard (I may be wrong)

Part of his argument is that it focuses on just Radio, and he wants TV and newspapers included in the Fairness Doctrine.

[Clark2008]

7. It would have to focus on television by virtue of the medium.

However, one can never regulate newspapers - or, if they do, they would be in violation of the First Amendment.

The difference being that TV and radio use the public airwaves/fiber optics in which to broadcast; newspapers are solely owned by individuals and use nothing owned by the public to produce their product.

Therefore, newspapers and other print/online publications do not have to abide by the same FCC standards of radio and television and are a purely "free press."

Make sense?

[NYVet]

11. What about the editorial pages of the paper?

When one side has a marked advantage on that page, it undercuts the impartiality of the paper, and IMO, the First Amendment.

[dajoki]

12. Especially when one company...

owns many media outlets.

[truebrit71]

6. And our brave Dems will vote this down right?

Don't hold your breath....:eyes:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. Good. The Fairness Doctrine is grossly anti-constitutional

It's a relic of an era when there were only 3 or 4 TV channels competing for very little usable frequency width.

And even then, the Fairness Doctrine was always unconstitutional on its face. The government has no legitimate role as an arbiter of "fairness" of political discourse. None. The government cannot be the referee of the same process that creates the government.

The idea that the government should referee political discourse is as anti-American a view as the idea that the IRS can makes decisions as to which religions are "legitimate." (Which the IRS does every day, to our great national discredit.)

"Equal time" provisions are a particular problem, supporting a two party structure that is not supported by the constitution. It is a conspiracy on the part of two political parties against the people.

[dajoki]

10. Huh?

[ruggerson]

13. I'm not sure the Fairness Doctine is such a great idea

I'm a big fan of free speech and if conservative talk radio has more of a commercial appeal right now, then let the marketplace correct that over time. We've got a progressive station in my area that's doing great, because they have an audience.

If talk radio was predominantly liberal, would you be in favor of a Fairness Doctrine?