For those of you who don't usually look back through old comments, you will want to check Dave Rye's response to my question about the Fairness Doctrine under the Thursday Talk Radio Update I post. It's a thorough and interesting response.
I still think there is less here than meets the eye, but considering that we are still talking about a doctrine that not only doesn't exist but hasn't even really been proposed, it's hard to say. I will reiterate: I am sympathetic to the Fairness Doctrine because I don't think radio stations should be able to use their government-granted licenses to essentially promote one political party for 24 hours a day, but I would vigorously oppose any doctrine that would cause a hardship for fair-minded shows like Dave's.
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3 comments:
The best radio show I ever listened to was co-hosted by Pat Buchanan and Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Both of them were quick and knowledgeable, and even funny, and they were forced to keep the tone respectful, as they sat right across from one another.
The idea that people listen to talk shows to reinforce existing beliefs and wouldn't listen if an opposing view were to be expressed - that idea, all by itself, condemns talk radio, and Rye's show, as meaningless noise.
Government-granted liscenses...isn't that part of the problem though? Why does the government own the radio waves? Should the same logic be applied to voting in general? We shouldn't be able to use our government-granted right to vote to essentially promote one political party. If I have paid the licensing fees, and paid for the means to broadcast then I should be able to promote horse manure if I so pleased. The government needs to butt out of our lives.
Jason,
The reason the government got into the radio spectrum business is because the spectrum is (was) limited. If I don't like the newspaper in my town, I can (and did) start a paper of my own. But if I don't like KBLG broadcasting Hannity every day, I can't start a competing radio station. Maybe I can buy one, but I have to have a government license to use a frequency.
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