Why is the "Fairnes Doctrine" conservatives' greatest fear???

Question

While the overused excuse of stifling free speech is used by conservatives to fight the thought of a renewed "Fairness Doctrine" what is to fear if it is uniformly applied?

We are a nation that demands level playing fields for it's sports and other activities complete with monitors (or officials) that insure it.

Fairness was taught to many as a moral quality. One sided unopposed views and commentary were considered incomplete and lacking true debate. An insult to our intelligence (if you will)

I hear the argument about left wing bias in mainstream media which should be balanced. When did two wrongs make a right?

What is the real fear of having "fairness" mandated in all forms of public media?

Answer 1

You don't understand Republican speak do you?

Republican speak ALWAYS means the opposite of whatever they are saying.

Here's a few examples:
"Irrefutable proof" Saddam has WMD's - Dick Cheney
translates "We have no irrefutable proof of WMD's" - this turned out to be the truth.

"Fairness Doctrine"
translation: Control and censorship of the news to favor US!
(Impeachment of Bush and CHENEY is growing rapidly every day and yet the "news" media is not reporting it....why? The "Fairness Doctrine" is at work.


You LEARN THE TRUTH about Republican speak by remembering what they SAID up front and what it TURNED OUT TO BE in reality and you see for yourself that whatever they are saying is ment to be used only BY them For them and their dictatorship goals.

Answer 2

You're just trying to rationalize the fact that you know the Fairness Doctrine violates the First Amendment. I'm sorry, but this issue is so non-negotiable. I believe the fear exists because the idea that the government should and can intervene to limit the speech of some because it's "unfair"--as if anybody can properly ascertain what "fair" means since it's such a terribly subjective term--scares the hell out of me quite frankly. This is in TOTAL violation of the US Constitution. I can't believe anybody is even trying to debate that. And yeah, you're right, our country demands level playing fields in so many other areas, but most of those legal mandates are unconstitutional, too. I'm not going to let an unconstitutional precedent affect how I see the Fairness Doctrine.

If your ideas are truly intelligent, then they'll win the day in the free marketplace. If not, they'll wither away and die. If you have to get the nanny state to interfere on your behalf to protect your beliefs, then you must not have a lot of confidence in your message. Plus, with the internet and so many other forms of media (Fairness Doctrine really only applies to radio), the argument cannot be made that Americans don't have access to all sorts of viewpoints.

So, on every front, this is utter B.S.

Answer 3

I've been reading a lot of peoples questions and answers on this so called "Fairness Doctrine" over the last few days and what people don't seem to realize is that the "Fairness Doctrine" does not apply to all forms of media. The doctrine would only apply to talk radio and network TV. Cable TV, newspapers, magazines, etc are all exempt. That means it would apply only to the two forms of media that are conservative dominated. So how can it be fair?

Besides that, do you really want to live in a country where the Government dictates what you can and can't read, hear, watch or listen too. If you fine or shut down radio stations that criticize the Government because the Government has decided you are not being "fair" how far away are we from imprisoning people who criticize the Government.

Remember all the times right wing conservative groups tried to get ratings on pornography, or rap music, or violent movies....liberals went nuts and screamed "CENSORSHIP!". Hmmmmm, they don't seem to mind jumping on board the censor ship now.

Answer 4

Although I'm conservative, I'm not an avid listener of talk radio. However, I defend the rights of those who do.

The "UNfairness Doctrine" is just that.. It's legal, political coercion and nothing more. Why is it that you people are not supporting your own talk radio?

There is nothing to fear other than being forced to listen to garbage that deals with political correctness and how progressiveness is good for this country. Most of us know better.

It's obvious that the fear doesn't lie with conservatives but with those on your side who are losing the battle and who will continue to lose that battle.

BTW, how do I get back the tax dollars that have been 'stolen' from me over the years to support a very biased PBS that I pay no attention to?

Answer 5

The fairness doctrine is something the dems have pulled out of their butts because they can't compete with radio talk show hosts like Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. Air America keeps going bankrupt and they think its just not fair that Al Franken can't compete. It is totally bogas. Hannity and Rush are not afraid of it. The whole thing is a load of B.S.

Answer 6

because the liberal doublespeak of liberal media bias is never fair and never unbiased. look at, for example the clinton legacy

- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court
the latest spin is that hillary didnt....know.....
i mean cmon travelgate, filegate, whitewater, the cattle futures fiasco, the health care fiasco...AND SHE DIDNT KNOW???? I DONT THINK SO.
and the sad part about it is there are actually people who want eight more years of that. there is nothing level about this playing field and liberals should grow up and admit it.

Answer 7

Bush already has his "fairness Doctrine". Try and wear an anti Bush t-shirt to one of his speaking engagements. LOL

Answer 8

Would you want to be stuck listening to frigging Al Franken on the radio when you know you could be listening to someone that actually makes sense?

Answer 9

let them do iT
and then
the left wing controlled media will get corrected over and over again with facts .
see how long that would last.

Answer 10

We wouldn't need a fairness doctrine if we limited media ownership thereby ending corporate control of what we hear.