The next time you hear a conservative say...

[misanthrope]

...something about the "lib'rul media" ask them if they are in favor of restoring the Fairness Doctrine. After all, if things are as they depict, then the Fairness Doctrine would only even the playing field for them, right?

Don't be surprised by the stammering, backpedaling or outright silence at the query.

[State the Obvious]

1. Yes, let's knock down their talking points one at a time. Perfect. n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. Daddy LIKES. Recommended.

[Vexatious Ape]

3. Good one.

Neal Boortz, my local talk radio idiot is already crying about the Fairness Doctrine.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. so simple!

:rofl:

[BrklynLiberal]

5. hmmm. A bit of plain logic that will pull the rug right out from under them.

[Straight Shooter]

6. Wasn't it that rat bastard Reagan responsible for eliminating the Fairness Doctrine?

The Godfather of Republicans everywhere. Shouldn't that be a hint heavy enough to penetrate even the density of a freeper mind?

"In 1986 the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a loose interpretation by the Reagan administration influenced FCC of an aspect of the Fairness Doctrine, ruling that Congress had "never made the doctrine a binding requirement." In August 1987, the Commission abolished the doctrine by a 4-0 vote, in its Syracuse Peace Council decision. The FCC insisted that the doctrine had grown to inhibit rather than enhance debate and suggested that, due to the many media voices in the marketplace at the time, the doctrine was perceived to be unconstitutional.

In the spring of 1987 Congress attempted to contest the FCC vote and restore the Doctrine (S. 742, 100th Cong., 1st Sess. (1987)), but the legislation was vetoed by President Reagan. Another attempt to resurrect the doctrine in 1991 ran out of steam when President George H.W. Bush threatened another veto.<3>

<snip>

It has been routinely criticized by conservatives in the media as a means of keeping their views from being expressed or of deliberately cutting their available air time in half. :nopity:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_doctrine

[City Lights]

7. That would make a fantastic LTTE!

Short and to the point. :thumbsup:

K & R

[progressoid]

8. I've heard quite a few RW radio dicks bleating on about this.

Started back when we raised a stink about Rush on Armed Forces Radio but no Al Franken.

If the Fairness Doctrine were to be reenacted they would all shit a two ton brick.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Don't stand too close

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Richard Steele]

16. This isn't even an "Iraq Thread", barrister. PLEASE stop spamming the board with that same post.

[NormanYorkstein]

11. the only problem with that

is that usually "conservatives" who talk about the "liberal media" either can't or won't understand what the Fairness Doctrine is anyway.

[Marr]

12. I once heard a caller put that question to Sean Hannity.

He went into a stock rant about government censorship and apparently hung up on the guy mid-rant. Then he took a long commercial break and came back to a new subject.

I've asked a conservative that in person, too, and man- you're right. They just start blabbering like an idiot. They can't maintain both those positions at once.

[misanthrope]

14. I asked one earlier today on another board...

...His answer?

"In theory it would, but the goal of the Fairness Doctrine put forth by the liberals would be to eliminate all conservativism (sic) from the media, especially that portion of it that effectively refutes their agenda."

I merely told him anything which demands equal time for both sides of any issue favors no one.

[tabasco]

13. Ask them to name names.

Who are all these liberals in the media?

Glenn Beck?
Sean Hannity?
Katie Couric?
Joe Scarborough?
Campbell Brown (Mrs. Dan Senor)

They know it's a liberal media because everybody in the media tells them so.


Ask them where the hell this liberal media is so you can tune in. Then let me know. I can't stand five minutes of the corporate propaganda networks. Keith Olberman isn't liberal - he just tells the truth.

[Bosso 63]

15. Disney, General Electric , Viacom

These liberal corporations are part of a vast cabal to give political power to the working class. Their CEO's hate the private jets and limousines, but they must use them to maintain the image until their dream of a workers paradise is realized.

[ProfessorPlum]

17. I had a Colbert-like fake blog on that very subject!

I tried to get into the mindset of a GOOPer (an ill-informed one) and argue FOR the fairness doctrine, but trying to think like them burned my brain.

You can still read it at http://www.gop4fairnessdoctrine.blogspot.com/

I actually got an email from the author of "South Park Conservatives" saying he thought conservatives were doing "just fine" without the Fairness Doctrine. Pretty funny. I didn't know what to respond to him.

[rasputin1952]

18. Of course they're doing fine w/o a Fairness Doctrine...

When one kills off the competing ideology, it certainly can be considered as "fine", at least to the group that has control of the media at that time.

No debate comes out to coounter the RW blather, (or LW blather if the opposite is true).

There is no Liberal Media. Those that do tell the truth are considered "Liberal" only because the RW can't come to grips w/it's own nefarious BS.

[MrPrax]

19. What do you say...

if they mention 'corporate media'?

What's the 'other' talking point?

Free speech should be defended at all costs because any restraint on the media trade would be far far worst than corporations spreading hate, lies and propaganda 24/7 in the form of public information to dictate the content of free speech?

Rather than turning this important thing into cheap 'partisanship', why don't libruls just concede there is a bias...a corporate one and work from there. They might win a argument once in awhile.

...we shall overcome...we shall overcome...we shall overcome....someday

[misanthrope]

28. There is a corporate bias...

...no one said there wasn't and the Fairness Doctrine was but one way of fighting it.

Unfortunately, those who own media outlets will always stand to gain more by the advancement of conservative principles. They don't seek to inform but will always aim for the lowest common denominator in blind pursuit for money. They don't operate on the principle of a "Fourth Estate" but only on the bottom line of the ledger.

If you leave it entirely up to them, what you get will be about what we have right now.

[ck4829]

20. Same thing with media reform

Even though Accuracy in Media talks about a liberal bias in the media, they also will not support media reform, they have honestly tried to link it to Communism.

[Old Smokey]

21. Excellent Idea

i like it

[maine_raptor]

22. Anybody says "liberal media" to me,

and I ask them if they also believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus too.

[IWantAChange]

23. 'Fairness' is way too scary a concept for Republicons....

next someone might even mention that most hated of all words - TRUTH

[Scriptor Ignotus]

24. I favor the regulation of media corporations

over the Fairness Doctrine. Get rid of Clear Channel and Sinclair's dominance in some markets and you will see new liberal voices pop up. They will succeed or fail on their own merits, on the terms of the fair market. It is a superior method than "forcing" balance on consumers, imo.

[misanthrope]

29. I think that would be harder to accomplish...

...since free market ideology seems to protect corporate ownership with more gusto than they do media content.

We've had ample proof of how things operate with the Fairness Doctrine and without it. The results are right in front of us. Remember, too, that the days with the Fairness Doctrine in effect were times that had far less media outlets than we do currently. Power was even more consolidated then.

[kirby]

25. George Will on Faux News mentioned this...

He lamenting how this ordeal might revive the Fairness Doctrine. He mentioned that before it was relaxed, there were no conservative talk shows...

[The Doctor.]

26. Magnificent!

Wish I'd thought of it.

You bet I'm going to pull that one out every chance I get. Thanks for posting this.

:bounce: :yourock: :bounce:

[youthere]

27. But logic doesn't work on Freepers.