AdvanceUSA Blog - Fairness Doctrine

Rush on the Fairness Doctrine

AdvanceUSA — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:23:54 GMT

Rush Limbaugh speaks out against the fairness doctrine.

Obama Says He Opposes Fairness Doctrine but Does He Oppose the “Stealth Fairness Doctrine?”

AdvanceUSA — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:11:03 GMT

Fox News reports that President Obama has stated that he opposes the so-called “fairness doctrine” which would hamper broadcasters with unconstitutional restrictions and endanger conservative and Christian radio broadcasting. However, our friends on Capitol Hill inform us that we are likely to see an incremental strategy to institute the fairness doctrine with increased regulations (including community review boards). Stay alert for updates on the efforts to institute the stealth fairness doctrine and trample real free speech rights.

“Beware of the 'Fairness Doctrine'”

AdvanceUSA — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:22:33 GMT

William Rusher explains.

Most House Republicans Support Rep. Pence’s Discharge Petition Fighting the “Fairness” Doctrine

AdvanceUSA — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:14:54 GMT

The Hill newspaper reports. Excerpt:

One hundred ninety-four out of 200 House Republicans are backing the effort to block the anticipated revival of the Fairness Doctrine, which they believe is a tool Democrats will use to cut down on the number of conservative radio talk shows. The Fairness Doctrine was discarded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during the Reagan administration in 1985. Not one Democrat has signed the petition, which requires 218 signatures to trigger a vote.

The six Republicans who have opted not to sign Pence’s petition are Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Robin Hayes (N.C.), Timothy Johnson (Ill.), Mike Rogers (Ala.), John McHugh (N.Y.) and Ralph Regula (Ohio).

“An Open Letter to the Christian Community” from Harry R. Jackson, Jr.

AdvanceUSA — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:28:14 GMT

Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. voices his concerns with a number of issues he sees as a threat to religious freedom. Doubtless the ENDA bill and hate crimes legislation are clear and present dangers to free religious expression, and the movement to resurrect the discredited “fairness doctrine” is a blatant affront to free speech. Read Jackson ’s full column here.

For more information on religious freedom click here or here.

Fighting the [Un]Fairness Doctrine

AdvanceUSA — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:13:44 GMT

Accuracy in Media warns that upcoming Senate hearings could be a vehicle for instituting the so-called “fairness doctrine” which would force broadcasters to give equal time to all political views.

The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007 would prohibit the FCC or any future president from reinstituting this ill-conceived policy. Upon proposing H.R. 2905, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) said:

The American people love a fair fight, especially where the issues of the day are debated. In a free market, fairness should be determined based upon equal opportunity, not equal results. As some voices are calling for Congress to enforce their idea of ‘fairness’ upon the American people, it would be good for us to proceed with caution whenever some would achieve their ‘fairness’ by limiting the freedom of others.

Congressman Pence has also posted on his blog a helpful resource entitled “Myths vs. Facts On the Fairness Doctrine.”

Fund on the Fairness Doctrine: “'Fairness' Is Foul”

AdvanceUSA — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:34:49 GMT

John Fund writes in the Wall Street Journal about the efforts to resurrect the “Fairness Doctrine” for talk radio and the danger it poses to First Amendment speech rights.

Fighting the “[Un]Fairness Doctrine”

AdvanceUSA — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:43:18 GMT

Victor Davis Hansen explains why the “fairness doctrine” violates the First Amendment and exposes the liberal hypocrisy of only wanting to regulate the one broadcast media they have been unable to dominate. Another article from the Washington Times praises Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for his leadership in efforts to prevent the resurrection of this dangerous and disproved regulation.

UPDATE: Here is another piece on the “unfairness doctrine” from the LA Times. Excerpt:

“A law that would demand broadcasters air opposing views makes no sense in a time when media is more accessible than ever.”

Pence Amendment to Protect Talk Radio from the “[Un]Fairness Doctrine” Passes Overwhelmingly

AdvanceUSA — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:29:22 GMT

We have great news for talk radio fans, conservatives, and defenders of free speech. Reps. Mike Pence (R-IN), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) yesterday proposed an amendment to the House Financial Services Appropriations bill that prevents federal funds from being used to enforce the “fairness doctrine” on talk radio and other media outlets should the onerous regulation ever be revived (as several U.S. Senators have suggested). We are happy to report that the amendment passed overwhelmingly.

To see how your representative voted on the Pence Amendment click here. For more information on the Pence Amendment check these articles from the Muncie Free Press (click here and here).

Fairness Shmairness: The “[Un]Fairness” Doctrine Rears Its Ugly Head Again

AdvanceUSA — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:40:11 GMT

Some members of Congress are talking about resurrecting the “fairness doctrine” for talk radio, a decades-old federal regulation (dropped by President Reagan) which mandated that radio and TV broadcasts were supposed to give equal time to opposing sides of any given political issue (remember all the conservative commentators of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s?). Under the pretense of “ensuring both sides are heard” and fixing the supposed “structural defects” that allow conservatives to dominate talk radio, members of Congress such as Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are proposing that radio stations be subjected to FCC regulation to ensure that “progressives” (i.e. liberals) are allowed equal time. Since the “progressive” (liberal) AirAmerica radio network didn’t catch on with the American public, liberals have decided to mandate you be exposed to liberal viewpoints. This could have the effect of stifling a popular and informative medium, but more importantly it presents a dangerous threat to free speech rights found in the First Amendment. Such obviously unconstitutional and un-American legislation must be steadfastly opposed, and legislators who support such foolishness should be held accountable.

For all their supposed concern about the “unfair” imbalance of opinion on talk radio, one would think they would be just as eager to federally mandate “fairness” in newspapers and network TV. Hmm…Go figure.

UPDATE: This article by Rich Galen at TownHall gives some important historical perspective on the nefarious fairness doctrine.