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Plan to Restore Fairness Doctrine Still on Track, Analyst Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200707/CUL20070705a.html
(CNSNews.com) - Liberal efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine are "completely on track," and Democrats intend to push for the measure by linking talk radio to "hate crimes," according to a conservative media analyst.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) has proposed an amendment to appropriations legislation to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from spending any money in 2008 to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.
The regulation that required broadcasters to present both sides of a controversial issue was enforced from 1949 to 1987, when the Reagan administration allowed it to lapse.
The House voted 309 to 115 to approve the Pence amendment, but Cliff Kincaid, editor of the conservative group Accuracy in Media, said even if the Senate passes the measure, "it would do absolutely nothing to stop a Democratic president and Congress from reinstating" the regulation.
Beyond that, he said in a release, the amendment has caused confusion and provided the opportunity for "several dozen liberals [in Congress] to claim they are not interested in re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine."
Kincaid argued that if Democrats gain control of both the White House and Congress, those same liberals would simply let the FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. "This may be what is planned."
To prevent that from happening, Kincaid urged Congress to pass the Broadcasters Freedom Act. The measure, also introduced by Pence, would legally prohibit the FCC or any future president from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.
Noting that this far-reaching bill had 111 co-sponsors compared to the 309 votes that Pence's earlier amendment attracted, Kincaid said this was because the amendment was largely symbolic, while the bill is "critical."
He said he doubted even a handful of Democrats in the House would back the bill, and even if it got through the House, Democrats will likely block it in the Senate.
"The bottom line is that, without a massive public outpouring in favor of the first amendment comparable to the opposition to the immigration bill, the Broadcaster Freedom Act will die," he stated.
Kincaid asserted that the Democrats were in the meantime paving the way for the return of the Fairness Doctrine by requesting a federal study of how licensed broadcasting facilities have been used to "convey messages of bigotry or hatred, creating a climate of fear and inciting individuals to commit hate crimes."
Rather than argue that conservative talk shows are one-sided, he said, Democrats in Congress will assert "that talk radio is hateful and causing injury and death to people."
Kincaid pointed to 1995, when President Clinton, he said, "tried to blame the Oklahoma City bombing on conservative talk radio." The analyst also cited the case of talk show host Don Imus, who was fired for denigrating a women's basketball team on the air.
Plan to Restore Fairness Doctrine Still on Track, Analyst Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
July 05, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Liberal efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine are "completely on track," and Democrats intend to push for the measure by linking talk radio to "hate crimes," according to a conservative media analyst.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) has proposed an amendment to appropriations legislation to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from spending any money in 2008 to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.
The regulation that required broadcasters to present both sides of a controversial issue was enforced from 1949 to 1987, when the Reagan administration allowed it to lapse.
The House voted 309 to 115 to approve the Pence amendment, but Cliff Kincaid, editor of the conservative group Accuracy in Media, said even if the Senate passes the measure, "it would do absolutely nothing to stop a Democratic president and Congress from reinstating" the regulation.
Beyond that, he said in a release, the amendment has caused confusion and provided the opportunity for "several dozen liberals [in Congress] to claim they are not interested in re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine."
Kincaid argued that if Democrats gain control of both the White House and Congress, those same liberals would simply let the FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. "This may be what is planned."
To prevent that from happening, Kincaid urged Congress to pass the Broadcasters Freedom Act. The measure, also introduced by Pence, would legally prohibit the FCC or any future president from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.
Noting that this far-reaching bill had 111 co-sponsors compared to the 309 votes that Pence's earlier amendment attracted, Kincaid said this was because the amendment was largely symbolic, while the bill is "critical."
He said he doubted even a handful of Democrats in the House would back the bill, and even if it got through the House, Democrats will likely block it in the Senate.
"The bottom line is that, without a massive public outpouring in favor of the first amendment comparable to the opposition to the immigration bill, the Broadcaster Freedom Act will die," he stated.
Kincaid asserted that the Democrats were in the meantime paving the way for the return of the Fairness Doctrine by requesting a federal study of how licensed broadcasting facilities have been used to "convey messages of bigotry or hatred, creating a climate of fear and inciting individuals to commit hate crimes."
Rather than argue that conservative talk shows are one-sided, he said, Democrats in Congress will assert "that talk radio is hateful and causing injury and death to people."
Kincaid pointed to 1995, when President Clinton, he said, "tried to blame the Oklahoma City bombing on conservative talk radio." The analyst also cited the case of talk show host Don Imus, who was fired for denigrating a women's basketball team on the air.
'Entirely unnecessary'
Kincaid said one of those seeking a return of the Fairness Doctrine is Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), who has been quoted as saying that broadcasters should have no objection.
Invited to comment, Dingell's staff sent Cybercast News Service a copy of the statement the congressman made when voting against Pence's amendment.
"The Fairness Doctrine is an important, complex issue. It concerns many of the core policy values that Congress assigns to local broadcasters," Dingell said. "It concerns the first amendment and localism in the media. It is, in short, an issue that should first be considered by the authorizing committee.
"Even if the amendment were not procedurally defective, the amendment is entirely unnecessary," Dingell continued. "Tonight, my staff was informed by the FCC chairman's office that the FCC has no plans to even debate the issue, much less take action."
Kincaid said Dingell was right to say the Fairness Doctrine wouldn't be resurrected under Bush - "but the situation will change under a Democratic president and a Democratic-controlled FCC."
Derek Turner, research director of the media reform group Free Press, told Cybercast News Service on Tuesday that "stoking the fears of a return of the Fairness Doctrine may fire up the base, but there is no serious movement to resurrect these regulations."
"No one who is serious about media policy believes that the Fairness Doctrine is the right path to reform," he said.
Turner's organization recently released a study, in conjunction with the liberal Center for American Progress, critical of conservative domination of talk radio.
The groups recommended increased government regulation and greater diversity of radio station ownership, but did not call for a reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine.
"The hysteria about the Fairness Doctrine shutting down talk radio is simply a distraction from the real issues we should be discussing," Turner said. "Both the left and the right widely agree that the corporate media is too concentrated and ignores the needs of local communities. That's the issue our policymakers should be dealing with now."
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200707/CUL20070705a.html
(CNSNews.com) - Liberal efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine are "completely on track," and Democrats intend to push for the measure by linking talk radio to "hate crimes," according to a conservative media analyst.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) has proposed an amendment to appropriations legislation to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from spending any money in 2008 to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.
The regulation that required broadcasters to present both sides of a controversial issue was enforced from 1949 to 1987, when the Reagan administration allowed it to lapse.
The House voted 309 to 115 to approve the Pence amendment, but Cliff Kincaid, editor of the conservative group Accuracy in Media, said even if the Senate passes the measure, "it would do absolutely nothing to stop a Democratic president and Congress from reinstating" the regulation.
Beyond that, he said in a release, the amendment has caused confusion and provided the opportunity for "several dozen liberals [in Congress] to claim they are not interested in re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine."
Kincaid argued that if Democrats gain control of both the White House and Congress, those same liberals would simply let the FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. "This may be what is planned."
To prevent that from happening, Kincaid urged Congress to pass the Broadcasters Freedom Act. The measure, also introduced by Pence, would legally prohibit the FCC or any future president from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.
Noting that this far-reaching bill had 111 co-sponsors compared to the 309 votes that Pence's earlier amendment attracted, Kincaid said this was because the amendment was largely symbolic, while the bill is "critical."
He said he doubted even a handful of Democrats in the House would back the bill, and even if it got through the House, Democrats will likely block it in the Senate.
"The bottom line is that, without a massive public outpouring in favor of the first amendment comparable to the opposition to the immigration bill, the Broadcaster Freedom Act will die," he stated.
Kincaid asserted that the Democrats were in the meantime paving the way for the return of the Fairness Doctrine by requesting a federal study of how licensed broadcasting facilities have been used to "convey messages of bigotry or hatred, creating a climate of fear and inciting individuals to commit hate crimes."
Rather than argue that conservative talk shows are one-sided, he said, Democrats in Congress will assert "that talk radio is hateful and causing injury and death to people."
Kincaid pointed to 1995, when President Clinton, he said, "tried to blame the Oklahoma City bombing on conservative talk radio." The analyst also cited the case of talk show host Don Imus, who was fired for denigrating a women's basketball team on the air.
Plan to Restore Fairness Doctrine Still on Track, Analyst Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
July 05, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Liberal efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine are "completely on track," and Democrats intend to push for the measure by linking talk radio to "hate crimes," according to a conservative media analyst.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) has proposed an amendment to appropriations legislation to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from spending any money in 2008 to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.
The regulation that required broadcasters to present both sides of a controversial issue was enforced from 1949 to 1987, when the Reagan administration allowed it to lapse.
The House voted 309 to 115 to approve the Pence amendment, but Cliff Kincaid, editor of the conservative group Accuracy in Media, said even if the Senate passes the measure, "it would do absolutely nothing to stop a Democratic president and Congress from reinstating" the regulation.
Beyond that, he said in a release, the amendment has caused confusion and provided the opportunity for "several dozen liberals [in Congress] to claim they are not interested in re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine."
Kincaid argued that if Democrats gain control of both the White House and Congress, those same liberals would simply let the FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. "This may be what is planned."
To prevent that from happening, Kincaid urged Congress to pass the Broadcasters Freedom Act. The measure, also introduced by Pence, would legally prohibit the FCC or any future president from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.
Noting that this far-reaching bill had 111 co-sponsors compared to the 309 votes that Pence's earlier amendment attracted, Kincaid said this was because the amendment was largely symbolic, while the bill is "critical."
He said he doubted even a handful of Democrats in the House would back the bill, and even if it got through the House, Democrats will likely block it in the Senate.
"The bottom line is that, without a massive public outpouring in favor of the first amendment comparable to the opposition to the immigration bill, the Broadcaster Freedom Act will die," he stated.
Kincaid asserted that the Democrats were in the meantime paving the way for the return of the Fairness Doctrine by requesting a federal study of how licensed broadcasting facilities have been used to "convey messages of bigotry or hatred, creating a climate of fear and inciting individuals to commit hate crimes."
Rather than argue that conservative talk shows are one-sided, he said, Democrats in Congress will assert "that talk radio is hateful and causing injury and death to people."
Kincaid pointed to 1995, when President Clinton, he said, "tried to blame the Oklahoma City bombing on conservative talk radio." The analyst also cited the case of talk show host Don Imus, who was fired for denigrating a women's basketball team on the air.
'Entirely unnecessary'
Kincaid said one of those seeking a return of the Fairness Doctrine is Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), who has been quoted as saying that broadcasters should have no objection.
Invited to comment, Dingell's staff sent Cybercast News Service a copy of the statement the congressman made when voting against Pence's amendment.
"The Fairness Doctrine is an important, complex issue. It concerns many of the core policy values that Congress assigns to local broadcasters," Dingell said. "It concerns the first amendment and localism in the media. It is, in short, an issue that should first be considered by the authorizing committee.
"Even if the amendment were not procedurally defective, the amendment is entirely unnecessary," Dingell continued. "Tonight, my staff was informed by the FCC chairman's office that the FCC has no plans to even debate the issue, much less take action."
Kincaid said Dingell was right to say the Fairness Doctrine wouldn't be resurrected under Bush - "but the situation will change under a Democratic president and a Democratic-controlled FCC."
Derek Turner, research director of the media reform group Free Press, told Cybercast News Service on Tuesday that "stoking the fears of a return of the Fairness Doctrine may fire up the base, but there is no serious movement to resurrect these regulations."
"No one who is serious about media policy believes that the Fairness Doctrine is the right path to reform," he said.
Turner's organization recently released a study, in conjunction with the liberal Center for American Progress, critical of conservative domination of talk radio.
The groups recommended increased government regulation and greater diversity of radio station ownership, but did not call for a reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine.
"The hysteria about the Fairness Doctrine shutting down talk radio is simply a distraction from the real issues we should be discussing," Turner said. "Both the left and the right widely agree that the corporate media is too concentrated and ignores the needs of local communities. That's the issue our policymakers should be dealing with now."
