Bill Press Calls for Reinstatement of "Fairness Doctrine"

Image from source, Washington Post

For some time now, conservative talk radio and FOX "News" have been railing about the possible reinstatement of the "fairness doctrine." They call it the "Hush Rush" bill, with the implication that it will knock conservo-talk off the air. It would do nothing of the kind. It would just stop--or temper--the wall-to-wall right wing blather on every AM station that isn't sports. They'd have to offer some opposing views. Fair and balanced, and all that.

Up until now, it is the rare liberal talker or politician that has actively sought out a restoration of the doctrine. The issue has been largely an invented one on the right, something else to get their listeners riled up. But the issue does have merit. Why does Rush Limbaugh sometimes play on more than one station in a given radio market? Why do cities like Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nevada; or even Washington DC have no liberal/progressive talk at all?

Don't tell me there's no market for it. We just had a sea-change in the electorate. Don't tell me there's no talent, with Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes out there (Rachel Maddow having been poached by MSNBC). It's a concerted effort by a very small number of people who control radio to shut liberal talk out. And that's not tinfoil hat wing-nuttery. It's easily researched.

It is not unusual for a liberal talk station to have its format changed to sports or other programming, only to plunge in the ratings after the transition. So why do they switch?

At the risk of turning the conservo-talkers' faux issue into a real one, I'm starting to think that the Fairness Doctrine would be a pretty good idea. But even better, media ownership should be trust-busted. The old AT&T/Bell System breakup, only in broadcasting, cable, studio ownership, print media. . . Media consolidation has been a disaster.

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Another Right-Wing Conspiracy in Washington?

The commercial use of public airwaves is supposed to reflect the diversity of the local community, but that's not how it works in Washington. On the AM dial, WMAL (630) features wall-to-wall conservative talk. So do stations WTNT (570) and WHFS (1580). For the past two years, OBAMA 1260 -- even with a weak signal that cannot be heard in downtown Washington -- was the exception. No longer. Starting tomorrow, our nation's capital, where Democrats control the House, the Senate and the White House, and where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to one, will have no progressive voices on the air. . .

Read more at: Washington Post