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All's "Fair" In Love And War
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All's "Fair" In Love And War |
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Mistletoe Angel 
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
There's another particular issue I sense is especially crucial to bring up right now, perhaps taking part in community radio a lot as of late, and that is the re-emergence of the national debate over the "Fairness Doctrine", following the recent controversy with Don Imus and the increased attention being brought to controversial views on AM radio in particular. The New York Times: July 12, 2007 Since then, many Senate Democrats have expressed interest in exploring a federal codification of the Fairness Doctrine, pointing to the ideologically conservative slant on AM radio. Star Tribune: June 29, 2007 Republicans have responded, accusing the Democrats of stifling conservative talk radio and free speech. Senator Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, has co-sponsored along with Jim DeMint and John Thune legislation that would "revent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reinstituting the rule." First Amendment Center: July 16, 2007 Yesterday, however, Senate Democrats blocked the amendment, with Richard Durbin arguing that broadcasters should provide both points of view on an issue. * * In my opinion, I believe the Fairness Doctrine should NOT be re-enforced, because it never seemed enforceable to me to begin with, and even if it had been allowed to stand, I think the courts would have eventually struck it down regardless. And I especially regret how these Senate Democrats and their interest group ideologues at the Center for American Progress and elsewhere have seized upon the Imus controversy in a lame attempt to fill their political template. Anyway, I don't even think that's the central issue here. I simply believe the REAL issue here is the deregulated state of our media, where only a handful of companies own a vast majority of our media outlets, and thus the information we get is restricted in a different fashion, based on the cross-marketing and homogenity amalgamated with the personal beliefs and opinions of who own these companies. With that said, I don't like what the Democrats are doing with this issue, as it screams nothing but politics in my mind. Regardless of how extreme I find Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity's opinions on their AM radio programs, I would also condemn anyone's effort to restrict or even silence their right to speak as they are on the airwaves, as Americans should have the right to choose what they want to listen to, and if they don't want to listen to them, they have the option of turning the dial off. I will add, however, that I strongly favor legislation that would restore the FCC's pre-1996 Telecommunications Act rules on media ownership, and I cannot overstate how much I strongly support it, as media diversity is most fertile when not monopolized single-handedly by the Clear Channels and Viacoms, and restores the principle that the airwaves are publicly-owned and are not the birthright of those media conglomerates. Sincerely, Noah Eaton "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other" Mother Teresa |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Well, of course the democrats are trying to shut conservative stations down. The top three most listened to radion stations in the country are (1)Limbaugh, (2) Hannity and (3) Glenn Beck. The most-watched news station is Fox. These are not the top most listened to by conservatives but, rather, by ALL listeners. No wonder the Left feels their gonads are in a vice. They tried to combat it with Air America, which went down in flames so their only option remaining is to fins someway to shut down or neutralize the programs they cannot compete with. They say that, in chess, when faced with a move you cannot counteract, the only remaining option is to kick over the table. Democrats are attemting table-kicking now and to hell with individual rights or the constitution. |
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Mistletoe Angel
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
quote: Indeed I absolutely agree with you in the most part here, though I will raise two points that lightly challenge pieces of what you just said. Firstly, the activism effort to re-define AM radio is certainly being led by Senate Democrats like Richard Durbin, John Kerry and Dianne Feinstein, along with some left-wing interest groups including the Center For American Progress. That part of the argument is indisputably correct, and I staunchly resent what they're doing. However, be careful: you also casted a hasty generalization in your reply, referring to all "the Left" in particular, when in fact the issue has polarized both "the Left" and "the Right". Rasmussen: July 14, 2007 According to this new Rasmussen poll released Saturday, for example, Americans are not only literally evenly divided on this issue (I'm willing to bet much of it is because many Americans don't know enough about the Doctrine, but nevertheless is still a notable result here) but the issue also polarizes both political ideologies. According to the poll, "Liberals support the measure by a 51% to 33% margin while conservatives are opposed by a 48% to 40% margin." Surely I can't explain how both generic ideologies are torn over this issue, but I believe though it's clear many Senate Democrats are spearheading this effort to re-up the Fairness Doctrine, it's also a mistake to go further and claim all of one end of the ideological spectrum is behind this political scheme, when there is far greater complexity to the issue than some are crediting. * Secondly, according to the same statistics here, the public is also divided on why there is am imbalance in terms of political commentary on AM radio: "Thirty-six percent (36%) of Americans believe that “there are more conservative radio talk shows because they get better ratings than liberal talk radio.” Twenty-seven percent (27%) believe “there are more conservative talk shows because the station owners are biased and don't want liberal shows on their station.” Another 16% believe there is some other reason for the imbalance." So, just as with the general public's various opinions on the printed press such as the New York Times having an ideological liberal slant, the public is also divided on why there is a "conservative" slant in terms of the radio airwaves. This by no means deflates the general argument you make that there are Democrats and some prominent left-wing ideologues out there attempting a coup d'etat of Limbaugh and other established right-wing AM radio pundits under the guise of "cleaning up" the airwaves. That is certainly happening; just be careful in terms of specifics, as I certainly would never accuse everyone on "the Right" of trying to stifle dissent in the scientific community. * quote: Yeah, I've heard that saying too, and I strongly agree that's what happening right now among many disgruntled Democratic Party establishment members and rabid left-wing special interest groups like I had mentioned earlier. "Game postponed on account of unexplained earthquake!" LOL!  * Sincerely, Noah Eaton "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other" Mother Teresa |
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