Dems Ignore the fairness doctrine at their peril

[musiclawyer]

Some right winger named H Randoph Holder owns Clark Broadcasting and the local radio station out here in our part of rural CA. And every f-cking morning he comes on with a special "something to think about segment" where he's either bashing Ombama or the dems, and generally spewing bullshit. But he does it in a not over the top way, unlike the more famous Limbaugh and his ilk do. It's the only radio station around with decent reception. My point: You simply can't let vast parts of the country swim in a sea of lies. Doesn't matter that demographics are in out favor for the futurre etc. The big media liars are held to account by credible and well read internet sources as well as a few left leaning broadcast media outlets. But the small market liars are never held accountable.....I'm convinced that's why red states even exist. And when you think of it, Rachel and Keith could very well go away overnight if MSNBC was sold for example. Isn't this something to think about?

[Imajika]

1. You realize..

...we have massive majorities in the House and Senate, and have the Presidency too right?

Obama inherited a horrible economy, has a 10% unemployment rate to deal with, and STILL has an approval rating of 50% or better in even Republican friendly polls (ie, Rasmussen).

Seems to me we are getting along quite fine without the Fairness Doctrine.

The Republican yakkers are mostly preaching to the choir. We have lost some key elections lately NOT because of Republican talk show hosts, rather we lost because our own base hasn't turned out. That is the fault of our party, not fatass Limbaugh or Beck's conspiracy theories.

The Fairness Doctrine is never, ever coming back.

[depakid]

2. "You simply can't let vast parts of the country swim in a sea of lies."

Some Democrats will argue (without understanding the law) that private censorship of the public airwaves is "free speech" and there can and should be no accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that false statements of fact and vile personal attacks can be responded to or corrected.

[WeDidIt]

3. Dude, the fairness doctrine will NEVER be reintroduced

It failed miserably the first time around.

You realize that, don't you?

[depakid]

4. As usual, you haven't the first clue what you are talking about

[endless october]

5. i'm still against the fairness doctrine.

let them have their AM radio opinion BS shows. i try to actually make an effort to tune into one of them at least once a week to stay informed of the talking points, and you know what i heard? a shitload of idiotic commercials and about five minutes of programming. and then a bunch of boring callers. i'm supposed to endure neocons on NPR, Keith, and Rachel to "punish" AM radio somehow? fuck that.

[Cetacea]

6. Have fun endlessly placating the right.

Because until the media is straightened out that is all the left can do.

[depakid]

7. How do you figure corrections of fact and responses to personal attacks to be punishment?

:shrug:

[endless october]

9. would you like the right to have access to "correct"

Keith, Rachel, NPR, and a plethora of other opinion shows on our side?

fuck that. i vote let them have AM in the few daylight hours that it actually is broadcastable over the airwaves.

fairness doctrine might have worked in a pre-internet world, but i guarantee you you'd end up hating it now if it were reinstated. those assholes would sue for equal time on EVERY rational program. you'd have Limbaugh and his minions punditing on every show instead of relegated to AM.

[depakid]

13. You must not pay attention to anything other that right wing and libertarian propaganda

Rachel and Kieth correct the record themselves and invite responses to attacks. Rachel tries to get them on her how!

Unlike most of the folks justifying the culture of lies in America- I've actually lived with and remember what the media was like when the fairness doctrine was in place. I watched it work- and have done considerable study on its long history.

I've also spent time enough in other nations and seen what responsible media looks like- compared with the drech (not my words, but a British friend's) that you have almost exclusively in the states.

So- no, you're scenario isn't how it would work and that's never how it worked.

[athenasatanjesus]

8. The fairness doctrine won't work anymore anyways

they will just bust out with the phony liberals to lose arguments on purpose,once it was repealed it became a Pandora's box that can never again be resealed.

[depakid]

11. Do you even know what the fairness doctrine(s) was- and how it worked?

Do you remember the nature of the American media prior to its demise?

Or have you ever seen what responsible media looks like in other western nations?

[athenasatanjesus]

12. thats why I said anymore

I know it DID work once,but it can't be redone.

[depakid]

14. That's like saying America was once a first world nation- but nothing can or should be done

to reverse the trajectory.

The corporate media- and the culture of lies it's created is the number one problem in the states- and failure to regulate it responsibly underlies and contributes EVERYTHING ELSE that's causing and been causing the nations decline.

Failure to deal with it- means failure on a whole host of other issues, from financial accountability to health care reform.

[dysfunctional press]

10. give it up, already...

the fairness doctrine isn't coming back.
and it shouldn't.

get an ipod or a cd player.
or satellite radio.

[Bitwit1234]

15. I do think there should be a law...

that you can not report your views as news. And if you do report a lie as news, you have x number of days to set the record straight or get a heavy fine.

If they can fine people for showing a boob, or a person far in the background (but picked up over a mike) saying a bad word, then I think if a lie is repeated as the truth (and Fox does it all the time) then they should be fined. And they only get so many chances til they have to show up to explain why their license should not be pulled. I think that would be more effective.

And that way rush would have to say over and over through out his show that he is not reporting the truth he is just telling what he wants people to believe.

[Drix]

16. Anti Fairness Doctrine Victims

Liberals are often their own worst enemy. I can't believe how many drink the right wing kool aid on what the fairness doctrine was and what it did. It was not the equal time rule. And as a regulatory doctrine is was pretty weak.

My main gripe about this topic is people have let the framing go to right wing corporate view. Broadcast airwaves are a limited natural resource. Like a national park. As the public we own it outright. It's not a marketplace. Issues of free speech are irrelevant. As the people we can decide to use that natural resource however we see fit. We don't have to ask CBS, NBC, ABC, or anybody else permission. If we want all foreign language lessons 24/7 we can do that. It's ours. And right now it is being misused and exploited for profit.

Much of this due to media consolidation as well. I remember when you could hear high school baseball game on local radio. Opinions of everyday average citizens on radio, you know, the owners of the airwaves. Local musicians and music native to the area. Now everything is programmed out of New York. Bland music formats and cookie cutter talk shows. No local news. No local personalities, which is a big job killer.

People have to understand this free speech argument is pure BS. Would you accept Clear Channel free speech rights were being violated because they are not allowed to erect billboards all over Yellowstone? Would you accept the argument that Hooters should be able to operate jiggle joints all over Yosemite because the marketplace has decided that girls in hot pants generate more revenue than nature trails? I doubt it. Then why would you let corporations waste valuable airwaves on endless Hot 100's and classic rocks stations that play the same 12 songs over and over and right wing talk shows which are just thinly veiled propaganda dispensers for the corporate class?

[DonCoquixote]

17. Never underestimate the power

Of an outlet being able to spew Bullshit 24-7. It keeps the weak minds numb, and makes those who question the BS very vulnerable, as the dittoheads will bray "I just saw on TV news that you are dumb and evil!" Rural areas are very easy to keep isolated anyway, as the Churches do their best to make sure people avoid reading anything that threatens their view.