President Obama opposes any move to bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine, a spokesman told Fox News Wednesday.
The statement is the first definitive stance the administration has taken since an aide told an industry publication last summer that Obama opposes the doctrine — a long-abolished policy that would require broadcasters to provide opposing viewpoints on controversial issues.
“As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said.
That was after both senior adviser David Axelrod and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs left open the door on whether Obama would support reinstating the doctrine.
“I’m going to leave that issue to Julius Genachowski, our new head of the FCC … and the president to discuss. So I don’t have an answer for you now,” Axelrod told FOX News Sunday over the weekend.
The debate over the so-called Fairness Doctrine has heated up in recent days as prominent Democratic senators have called for the policies to be reinstated. Conservative talk show hosts, who see the doctrine as an attempt to impose liberal viewpoints on their shows, largely oppose any move to bring it back.
(Source: Fox News)
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6 Responses
Beware of Obama’s Orwellian rhetoric.
He will end up muzzling Conservative talk-radio hosts, but he will not call it the “Fairness Doctrine.”
Perhaps he will change its name to the “UnFairness Doctrine.”
I’ve heard chatter that they won’t reinstate the fairness doctrine. However they may put forth those “rules” under a different name, with the same spirit and theme (shut down conservative talk radio). They can do it through the FCC which does not have to go through the same procedures as bills in congress.
“Freedom of press is limited to those who own one.” Henry Louis Mencken
4,
Your liberal colors are coming out here once again.
I ask you what “competition” do you need?
Where is the “competition” with the over the air TV networks? Why is there no concern on the left about them? There are 3 major networks ALL of whom lean FAR to the left.
Where is the “competition” with the Cable TV networks? Why is there no concern on the left about them? There are 3 major news networks and 2 of them lean far to the left. One of them even has tingly feelings running up their legs when The Obama speaks. They have said this OUTRIGHT and ON THE AIR so this is nothing new.
Where is the “competition” with the print media? Why is there no concern on the left about them? Of all the newspapers in the country, a miniscule amount of them lean to the right and you know it.
This is not a mattter of “fairness,” this is OUTRIGHT CENSORSHIP which is an outright assualt on the first ammendment ESPECIALLY TALKRADIO. No one FORCES you to listen to any particular radio station. If you dont like what WABC has on for most of the day, please feel free to listen to Airhead America on some station that hardly comes into the market.
You are asking for the govt to limit competition and to enforce that only certain views are heard — meaning only the left. I dont know how old you are but I remember the days of the fairness doctrine well and they were not fun. Radio stations had to have “the other side” but NO ONE listened to them and in 87 they were taken off the air so companies could make money. Frog Man aka Larry King was sooo boring back then as was Alan Colmes when he was on WABC!
Once upon a time in this country we were allowed to make money. I know Obama and his band of thugs dont like people who make money.
This is a clear attack on people like Rush, Hannity, Mark Levin, Bortz, Weiner, Hewit, Miller, Gallagher, Bennett, Prager, Medved, Coulter, Ingraham, and many other hosts who have the “audacity” to disagree with The Annointed One. Where were these libs when everyone I just mentioned disagreed with Pres Bush? Or was that ok because they “agreed” with the left?
Even John McCain who was ripped by most of the above put in legistlation blocking the CENSORSHIP DOCTRINE! Why? Because even he knows this is an attack on the Constitution. Who was it that said something along the lines of “You may disagree with me. But I will fight for your right to disagree with me till the bitter end!?”
So who will be the one to decide what is fair? Will it be fair when one day soon the country turns right (it will be sooner than later because people are not happy with the sharp left we took a few months ago) and someone like Rush or Hannity disagrees with Congress or even the President? Or will that be ok with the left?
What about if the President decides to give some real stimulus with major tax cuts (I do have a sense of humor too!) and they agree with him? Will the radio stations need to have Chuck U Schumer come on to disagree?
Bottom line is there are plenty of voices and they can run a good show, the will get on the air. Dont kid yourself, radio stations want to make money and if the voice is a good person and is able to get good ratings, they will get airtime. Too bad without being forced, the left doesnt have anyone who would qualify to be in the same league as the big boys.
ML
7,
I guess the only thing you listen to is Nachum Segal??
8, but we don’t have to make a mitzvah out of it. Talk radio is a guilty pleasure, kind of like the time I waste on the internet.