Democratic Media Reform Bill may Prevent Possible 'FASCIST' Takeover of US Media

[Karenca]

Rep. believes Democratic media reform bill may prevent possible 'fascist' takeover of US media

Sunday January 21, 2007

Rep. Hinchey: New bill would break up media monopolies and restore fairness doctrine

Warns media reform critical to prevent 'end of democratic republic'

<<snip>> Concerns about monopolies and fears of a possible "fascist" takeover of the US media have prompted a Democratic congressman to push to restore the Fairness Doctrine, RAW STORY has learned.

Hinchey faults the mainstream media for failing to tell Americans the truth about “an administration in Washington that has falsified information to people about weapons of mass destruction in order to justify an illegal and unjustified attack perpetrated on Iraq. How was it that Congress voted to give the President that authority? And how was it that so many people just bought into it when Iraq had nothing to do with the attacks on the World Trade Center and whatever weapons they had were given to them by the Reagan administration?” If reinstated by Hinchey’s bill, the Fairness Doctrine would govern all news programs on public airways, including networks as well as cable stations such as Fox or MSNBC, but would not apply to entertainment shows. Thus a broadcaster such as Comedy Central could argue that the Daily Show or Colbert Report is exempt. Requiring multiple viewpoints via a Fairness Doctrine is particularly important in rural areas, where residents may have access to only a single TV station and can’t afford cable, the staffer added.


With Democrats now in control of the House, Hinchey has been named to a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee with jurisdiction over the FCC budget. He posed a challenge to members of Congress to pass media reform, asking, “Will we be strong enough to bear this responsibility?”<<snip>>

LINK - Full article (very interesting): http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Rep._believes_Democratic_media_reform_bill_0121.html

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. betcha a nickel it gets vetoed... n/t

[kentuck]

10. Yep...

Repubs will never give up their "Limbaugh" advantage without a fight to the death. We would probably need a filibuster-proof Senate and a Democratic president to get the Fairness Doctrine reinstated. ALthough I am not sure if FCC rules are something the Senate can filibuster??

[ThomCat]

12. And the media won't publicize it.

They're very good at going blind when they're the subject.

[Zodiak]

2. This is a fight

me MUST win!!

The "wisdom of CNN" is a very big reason why Americans think it is "moderate" to hate liberals and love conservatives. It is also why it is considered "moderate" to kill half a million Iraqis with no end in sight over lies that we will not admit to.

Take away the kool-aid, please; it is killing us.

[WinkyDink]

3. And in other news, the Carlyle Group bids to buy the Tribune Media Corp.

Separately, Carlyle Group has reportedly offered to buy Tribune Co.'s TV station group, according to various media reports, as Chicago-based Tribune (NYSE: TRB) weighs other bids for the company, whose properties also include newspapers and radio stations.

Carlyle officials declined to comment Friday on the Tribune deal.

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2007/01/15/daily46.html

[Kolesar]

9. Good find. I have been emailing these stories to public radio's media reporter

Just because.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. "Possible"?

I think it's a tad too late to start using the word "possible."

[Karenca]

5. ..........

IT CERTAINLY IS ....... :(

[helderheid]

6. Rec #4!

[BayCityProgressive]

7. I hope this has a chance!

[helderheid]

8. So do I!!

[helderheid]

11. KICK!

[bobthedrummer]

13. It's all propaganda here in BFEE's HOMELAND (tm)

yet many of US were aware of the psychological operations, information warfare and perception management within the context of HOMELAND's(tm) strategic influence long before this.

"Reality vs. perception management: the tinfoil controversy" started 1-6-2006
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x71919

[depakid]

14. This is long overdue

Hinchey believes the takeover of the U.S. media has been carefully calculated by the “political right wing,” starting with the abolition in 1987 of the Fairness Doctrine, which was originally adopted in 1949 in reaction to the rise of global fascism prior to World War II.

“Fascist government dominated discussions in Europe. They could now broadcast all over and control all information going out. That’s how they took over governments in Spain and Italy,” Hinchey recalled. “The U.S. said the airways should be owned by everyone.”

The Fairness Doctrine required that broadcasters give equal time to people who wished to express an opposing viewpoint. “Under the Reagan administration, the FCC wiped out that rule and said only businesses that operate stations can express their view,”

[Parisle]

15. This has little to do with the Fairness Doctrine

--- It involves media ownership by non-media industrial interests,... where economic conflict-of-interest is an ever-present foil to honest journalism,..... and also monopolistic trends towards news-media outlets,...... Five major players? Give me a break. Pass an exclusionary law forbidding a company that makes toasters from owning news media.....

[adigal]

16. Sean Hannity is CRYING over this every day!!

Saying that if it goes through, he will be thrown, thrown I tell you, off the air.

I could only hope and pray.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

17. Prevent? It has already happended.

[Qutzupalotl]

18. K&R

[happydreams]

19. K&R. Good to see this fight!!

[diane in sf]

20. I most desire breaking up media ownership.

Opposing viewpoints is another story--it might mean an end to Air America type programming.

[Generic Brad]

21. Kind of like closing the barn door after all the farm animals escaped

This bill was introduced six years too late.

[IWantAChange]

22. The # of issues that have already been brought up by Dems is remarkable.

One can only hope that the whole country notices how we have been stuck in mud for the last 6 years. The best way to do that is to give the American public access to the truth.

[Kurovski]

23. K&R.(nt)

[snot]

24. K&R'd. Knowledge is power. Without independent media, the people are

f--ked.

[snot]

25. K'ing again. This is second in urgency only to election reform. nt

[snot]

26. K'ing again. I hope there's no one on DU who hasn't written their reps on this.

[snot]

27. Pls don't just read the article; go HERE:

http://www.mediaproblem.com/congress/billinfo.php?id=157

and then write your reps HERE: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

Go DU!!!