Sunday, July 01, 2007

On The Home Front: The (Un)Fairness Doctrine

Leading Democrats are calling for a return to the Fairness Doctrine that would require that every conservative talk show be balanced with a liberal talk show. I don't see any Democrats saying the fairness doctrine should be applied to the obviously slanted (to the left) Newspapers or Television Networks. PBS is also not included in this drive for "fairness".

Need I remind you, it was CBS and Dan Rather that ran a story shortly before a Presidential election, accusing the Republican candidate of being AWOL from his National Guard unit and of seeking special favors because of his father's political influence. The story was based on FORGED Papers, There was no fact checking done by the network because the story attacked a conservative Republican Candidate. No calls for the fairness doctrine about that!

The Liberal left tried to run their own radio talk network. Air America was a total disaster, in spite of the fact that it was FUNDED by leading Democrats. The reason that liberal talk radio does not work is because people don't want to listen to it. If they wanted to listen to that Anti-American crap they would watch CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, or MSNBC . IF they wanted to read that tripe they would pick up the New York Times (Which continues to publish classified information that endangers American lives), the Washington Post, Time Magazine, Newsweek or any of the other "Major" newspapers.

Recently, several Republican Senators, (Senator Lott of Mississippi to name one) have joined the call to gag conservative talk radio. The reason for this? Because Conservative Talk Radio is pointing out how they are selling out America on this Amnesty travesty. The American people alerted by talk radio rose up and demanded that the US Senate not pass the ill-advised McCain-Bush-Kennedy Amnesty bill, and these "powerful" Senate leaders are reacting live five years that had their toys taken away from them. They are pouting, screaming and threatening to take the ball away from "Bad Guys" that shined the light on their lies.

First, we had the McCain-Feingold Revocation of the First Amendment Bill (Campaign reform) that prohibited citizens from banding together and running adds within 30 days of an election. A Clear violation of the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Now, we have the attack on Talk Radio. It seems that the US Senate not only does not believe in Free Speech but they are bound and determined to suppress it. You might ask yourself why should I care? I don't listen to talk radio, they are just a bunch of right wing nutbags anyway. The problem with censorship is that it tends to grow and grow. It may not be goring your ox this time, but given enough time and power it will prevent any of us from complaining about any elected official. Does that sound like America to you?

Speak out NOW before they finish revoking the 1st Amendment
Disagree or Agree feel free to add your own comments.
Please send any feedback to UnkHiram@BHocutt.com

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Conservative talkers claim the marketplace is driving the disparity in talk radio. That's false; it's the political ideology of ownership and their corporate advertisers driving the agenda.

The radio airwaves belong to the public. Give progressive talk the same opportunity the conservatives have - strong signals, good management and proper promotion - and it will have an audience,

Unknown said...

Some conservatives will argue that radio is the right's only bastion against the rest of the "liberal media," but I don't buy it. I offer two words in argument: Rupert Murdoch, whose ever-increasing empire includes television, print and movies.
The real problem is that with fewer owners, there are fewer choices and fewer voices.
I'm surprised that conservatives who usually argue for the rights of the individual aren't more afraid of the media takeover by just a few companies.
It's really not free speech if you can only hear one side.

Bill said...

Progressive (i.e. LIBERAL) radio has the same opportunity -- It fails because no one wants to listen to their garbage and lies. Witness the fact that they cant even admit they are liberal. Have you heard of Air America? NPR?

The Owners of the stations are intrested in only one thing --- PROFIT. IF they could make more money by putting some hate spewing loser like Cindy Sheehan then she would have her own natonwide show.