Does the recent media behavior make you wanna implement the Fairness Doctrine?

[Becky72]

Or not? Imagine every lying pundit being offset by a fact-checking liberal?

[DJ13]

1. Only if theres some way to make it applicable to cable/sat TV

Those were never covered by the Fairness Doctrine.

[trayfoot]

2. Absolutely YES - and to CABLE and SAT, too!

[RepublicanElephant]

3. there should at least be congressional hearings on the abuses of corporate media.

of course that could only be done right with a progressive dem as chair.

[OHdem10]

4. I can understand from whence you come but the Fairness Doctrine

is not the problem nor is it the answer.

The dirty little secret is: The Democratic Party(my party) avoids
being on Television like the plague.

When they are being attacked, the attitude is : "We are not like
that". They are above such trifle.

As a result they have never organized, planned an approch with
real talking points and therefore be ready to give the other
side as good they send.

How many times have I heard Bill Clinton talking to them on
C-Span and to other groups even some activists-- "I would
get in there and fight" I watched him reflect back from
audience--You are not in agreement."

When the prevailing attitude seems to be avoidance, Fairness
Doctrine is not the Problem.

Once Chris Matthews commented on hard or impossible it is to
get Democrats to come on Television. The party also has
another problem. I get the distinct feeling Liberals are
not invited. It might upset the Blue Dogs and Republicans.
This is the party's fault not the Media. Some of the best
those who look and act "made for TV" are Liberals. Since
they believe in something, they come across strong and
certain and speak with more clarity.

I empathize with you but we have to find another answer.

[onenote]

5. except that isn't how it works

Every lying pundit won't be "offset by a fact-checking liberal" -- they'll be offset by a lazy Alan Colmes clone.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Not really. The punditry shows aren't "news" and...

attempting to regulate them runs up against the first amendment. Even the regular news shows can always argue that they interview someone from both sides of an issue. (As if there are only two sides...)

It's just such a miserably murky area to try to regulate, full of assumptions, opinions, and axes to grind. Far more difficult now than it was back in the 50s with just three networks.

Obama, btw, never proposed returning to it, and always preferred caps on media ownership. Regulation of newspapers was forbidden because of the proliferation of papers and ideas, but now newspapers are dying and we have the proliferation of radio and TV.

Bring back some of the old rules-- like limiting how many broadcast licenses you can own in an area. Or, now, how many cable news channels you can own in additiona to broadcast chanels. Or, even limiting newspaper ownership in a market when you own a TV station, but bringing that back might kill off even more papers.

[uponit7771]

7. No, just implement anti trust laws and the laws the FCC already has on the books regarding...

...news concentration

[TxRider]

8. Not.

The media is catching up and starting to unwind the spin.

Reality is that Obama just hasn't sold enough Americans on his plan.

[KittyWampus]

9. The Fairness Doctrine? The problem is media consolidation.

[barbiegeek]

10. 4 Cable News YES!! HELL YES

[barbiegeek]

11. Murdoch (Fox News) is Australian & Wife born in China

Maybe we should have a law that only natural born citizens can own media in the US. And that Fox Hole down

[Sebastian Doyle]

12. No, just repeal the Telecommunications act of 1996, and enforce antitrust laws

For example, Rupert Murdoch should NEVER have been allowed to own two major newspapers (the NY Post and the Wall Street Journal) in the same market (not to mention he's tried to buy the NY Times as well). And that's not even taking into account the TV and radio stations he owns in the same market.

Nor should a defense contractor like General Electric own any TV networks at all. How many cable networks are owned by NBC now (it's more than just the obvious ones with "NBC" in their name. i.e. Bravo, Telemundo, and several other cable channels. It's easy to tell when the Olympics are on, because they all have coverage)

[Oregone]

13. No. I prefer my news censored by media ownership

Any anti-media censorship law is un-American

[Prism]

14. That is some frightening phrasing

Put another way "Imagine every journalist being offset by a government agent who decides the truth."

Terrifying.

[NecklyTyler]

15. What the AM Talk Radio right wingers are doing is analogous to shouting "FIRE" in a crowded theater

The Limbaughs and the Hannities are whipping their true believers into a froth and sending them out to crush the progressive opposition. They are as brainwashed as they can be. Fueled with hate, lies, racism, and right wing talking points they are no more than suicidal commandos with tunnel vision out to complete their mission.

We need the fairness doctrine to return the political landscape back to what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the constitution

[valerief]

16. Yep! nt