Fairness Doctrine Floats Back to the Top

[TheMercenary]

Sen. Harkin: 'We need the Fairness Doctrine back'

Just this morning, I reported that Sen. Debbie Stabenow has backed off on the idea of holding hearings for radio accountability, something she discussed last week with liberal radio host Bill Press (leading to an uproar on conservative talk radio over the Fairness Doctrine).

Well today, Sen. Tom Harkin appeared on Press's show and came out in favor of the Fairness Doctrine.

BILL PRESS: And, thanks for your leadership, thanks for your good work, it's great to have you there Senator. And, great to have you on the show. Appreciate it.

SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D-IA): Well, anytime – just let me know Bill. I love being with you, and thanks again for all you do to get the truth and the facts out there. By the way, I read your Op-Ed in the Washington Post the other day. I ripped it out, I took it into my office and said 'there you go, we gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again.'

BILL PRESS: Alright, well good for you. You know, we gotta work on that, because they are just shutting down progressive talk from one city after another. All we want is, you know, some balance on the airwaves, that's all. You know, we're not going to take any of the conservative voices off the airwaves, but just make sure that there are a few progressives and liberals out there, right?

SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D-IA): Exactly, and that's why we need the fair -- that's why we need the Fairness Doctrine back.

BILL PRESS: We'll work on that together. Hey, thanks, Senator! Always good to talk to you.

SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D-IA): Thanks Bill, see you, bye.

Press told me last week that he's hoping Congressional leaders call for hearings on radio accountability, looking at whether stations are honoring the language in their public licenses. But Press also said he thinks the Fairness Doctrine -- in its previous incarnation, at least -- is outdated.

It seems that a lot of Democrats talk up the issue, but then there isn't any legislation that follows.

For instance, Dick Durbin has spoken favorably of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine in the past, but when I contacted his office last week, his press secretary said that he “has no plans to introduce any legislation on the issue, nor is it even on the radar.”

So will Harkin, another advocate, be the one to push the issue forward?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/michae...ine_back_.html

Ok, I though most liberals supported the First Amendment. I could be wrong. The free market is just that, anyone is free to gather the resources, start a show and make money for the radio station, or not. In the case of Air America's failed attempt it would be "or not". There are plenty of smaller radio programs with a bit of liberal vs. conservative slant but for some reason few of them have ever made it big. NPR comes the closest, but I don't consider them to be completely liberal in their delivery, and I listen to it every day, most of the time twice a day and on the weekends. So why the need for government control of the messages on the airwaves. It strikes me as an attempt at censorship.