FCC Officially Kills Fairness Doctrine
- Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:22pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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The last nail was finally driven into the Fairness Doctrine’s coffin when the FCC eliminated more than 80 media industry rules, ending the obsolete post WWII-era regulation. The doctrine, that sought to ensure inclusiveness of different viewpoints broadcast on the airwaves, was officially erased by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on Monday.
Conservative critics of the Fairness Doctrine believed the rule violated broadcasters’ rights to free speech and feared Democrats would try revive the regulation to silence conservative talk radio programs. While the doctrine was essentially abandoned in 1987 during the Reagan administration, it remained on the books until Monday.
Politico reports:
While the commission voted in 1987 to do away with the rule — a legacy to a time when broadcasting was a much more dominant voice than it is today — the language implementing it was never removed. The move Monday, once published in the federal register, effectively erases the rule.
Monday’s move is part of the commission’s response to a White House executive order directing a “government-wide review of regulations already on the books” designed to eliminate unnecessary regulations.
Also consigned to the regulatory dustbin are the “broadcast flag” digital copy protection rule that was struck down by the courts and the cable programming service tier rate. Altogether, the agency tossed 83 rules and regs.
In a statement Genachowski said that the move was intended to promote “a healthy climate for private investment and job creation.”
While this could be considered a victory for those in broadcast media, one wonders if, as one regulatory push ends, will another begin?
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Comments (153)
PJL
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:54pmWon 1 battle, now can we win the war?
Report Post »DanielMartinGray
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:58pmWe have no other options but to win, die, or live as slaves.
Report Post »bigpicture
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 10:37pmWatch the other hand. This is probably a hollow victory.
Report Post »Kevin The Elder
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 4:34amI feel sad for me. This appears to be something that should be making me shout hurrah from the rooftops; what appears to be a great victory for freedom; something I should be praising the FCC for doing; yet, sadly, this administration has been so far to the left on just about everything else – bordering on Communism I would add – that I somehow can’t help suspecting that this is somehow a trap, though I must admit that for now I don’t see how.
Report Post »el thinko
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:52pmsorry, I posted before there was a second page of comments to be buried in. oops. How much does it cost to see your post placed in some chronologic order?……wonders to self…….
Report Post »DanielMartinGray
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:57pmsort by newest to oldest…
Report Post »willbill
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:30pmThe California electric industry wasn’t de-regulated. Using that word was just a ruse. It was re-regulated by a Democratic controlled legislature. Under the new law, your democratic heroes in the legislature forced the investor owned power companies to sell their power plants off to the likes of Enron. Of course the Democrats promised the new law would lower rates..go figure. I left California in 1995 because I could see the writing on the wall. Democrats have FUBARed California!!!
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:57pmI always sort “Newest to Oldest”;
I really don’t care what the first to post had to say as more often than not it was a “hip-shot” & off target.
It’s much better to see what others have shared, think about the correct thing to add to the discussion, then post.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:51pmIt won’t really matter at this point, the MSM is pulling out all the stops at being unfair and is so bias with their reporting that the actual fairness doctrine would hinder them. This is for them and not so much for our side. Don’t be fooled, this is exactly what the Left wants.
Report Post »Kafir
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:59pmExactly…watch out folks…this is actually the precursor to Silencing the conservative voice. See…as long as the fairness doctrine was in place…they had to allow opposing media, now…with the back door enactment of “Net Neutrality” by the FCC in their “Net Neutrality” mirroring regulations, blessed by Comrade Obama himself…censorship is coming….
Report Post »Quagaar Warrior
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:05pm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Post »Since MSNBC has almost no audience to begin with, what’s to worry about? Very few people believe them anyway. They’re only preaching to thier very small choir. “We the People” a.k.a., “The Tea Party”, vastly outnumber them and we’re still growing by leaps and bounds! We crushed them electorially last Nov. and we’re going to do even better in 2012.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MGB-CPA
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:51pmJust paving the path for the real deal they want. ALL dem’s are lyers. Listen to Obama claiming his dad served in WWIII. Both his real dad and step dad were 10 years old at the end of WWII.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv4jnlkxOaw
TelepromoterNChief
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:29pmMaybe he was referring to Call of Duty on his Atari 2600.
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:54amObama, the bamboozler, also claimed that his father met his mother on the March To Selma – during the Civil Rights era.
That is what makes people like me – want his IMPEACHMENT – for his LIES and DECEIT – and criminal activities as POTUS –
when he is a USURPER as the ENEMY in The White House!
Black America should take him to task – for hiding behind the race card – when he is the first ARAB POTUS!!!
Report Post »kedward
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 4:58pmPerhaps Obama revealed family history. If his real father was Stanley Dunham, then Barak would be correct in stating his father fought in WW2.
Report Post »DanielMartinGray
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:50pmI also distrust their sudden conversion…
Let us take a page from the Progs, and refuse to accept enough as enough.
This is the time to hammer them, without cease!
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:48pmHow much of our money was wasted, for and against?
Report Post »Rice Water
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:47pmThis is surely the work of a power-mad Marxist dictator!
Report Post »Steel Awesome
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:47pmDoes this mean that Chris Matthews will be taken off the air?
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:10pmLOL I wish!
Report Post »Oncapecod
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:47pmA rat, I smell one.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:45pmDo I Smell another executive order??
Report Post »NoGlobalism
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:57pmPlease check your spelling. That’s executive ODOR.
Report Post »el thinko
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:44pmDereg ALWAYS good. There, I said it.
Report Post »ginsberg
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:53pmYep, worked for california and their electrical grid…oh yeah my bad deregulation caused total chaos, deaths, job loss, life savings lost…but at least enron’s execs walked away happy. Generalize some more tool.
Report Post »willbill
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:32pmThe California electric industry wasn’t de-regulated. Using that word was just a ruse. It was re-regulated by a Democratic controlled legislature. Under the new law, your democratic heroes in the legislature forced the investor owned power companies to sell their power plants off to the likes of Enron. Of course the Democrats promised the new law would lower rates..go figure. I left California in 1995 because I could see the writing on the wall. Democrats have FUBARed California!!!
Report Post »ginsberg
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 9:06pmWillbill that is the most rediculous thing ive ever heard. The market for electricity in and around california was heavily regulated for decades, when regulations were removed companies like enron moved in and price fixed. You cant possibly be saying that more regulation caused california’s crisis.
Report Post »willbill
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 10:45pmYou’re the tool Ginsburg. I was there in the industry at the time. Just because the Democrats called it de-regulation didn’t make it so. Like I said, it was re-regulation. Too difficult for you to understand? Did they disband the Democratic appointed California Public Utilities Commision? NO!!! Now that would have been de-regulation.
Report Post »If the power companies had beek allowed to retain control of power generation the taxpayers wouldn’t have been fleeced out of 70 Billion dollars, It saddens me to see the great state where I was born destroyed by liberal pukes like you.
hersey10
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:44pmI wonder if this is a smoke screen for some other dumb new rule in it’s place authored by your friend and mine Mr. Samantha Power Sunstein .
Report Post »momsense
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:43pmNow if we could just do the same to the EPA!
Report Post »usmc1063
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:42pmI smell a rat.
Report Post »SavingtheRepublic.com
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:48pm~~^^~~^^~~
Yea, I call him Cass Sunstein! This may be dead but Cass is probably working on regs that go right around the FCC and Congress. Doesnt anyone find it odd that they are dropping this so quickly out of the blue? This thing was big talk a while back then things have been quiet until this news coming out.
Start digging people the other hand is up to something! Plenty of diversions right now to help hide whatever the regime is up to with attacks on Israel, Libya and this direct distraction…. something isnt right! http://SavingtheRepublic.com
Report Post »HKS
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:49pmI guess that means that mainstream media can stay biased.
Report Post »Vigilante
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:56pmThe first thing I thought when I read this article, was watch the other hand.
Report Post »I would trust this guy, the same way I trust my neighbor’s dog. It’s always ready to bite.
He is a puppet in the system that not even BHO is moving… Someone more powerful like “The Spooky Dude”
Let’s be prepared, one of the Czars is planning something big, but don’t be afraid to fight back
82dAirborne
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:57pmI wish it were JUST a rat.
Report Post »celestialfire
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 10:01pmmaybe their plan is to regulate it as a public utility?
Report Post »JasonFreelance13
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:40pmCan they reclassify radio as social media and then use net neutrality? And I bet it cost quite the penny for the review and dismissal of the regulations too.
Report Post »clingingtogodandguns
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:40pmWe need some lawyers to take these things to court.Your right 1 down 1000,00′s to go.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:33pmWatch
>the other hand.
Report Post »davesummersong
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:32pmWatch the other hand…
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 4:53pmagreed…
Report Post »randy
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:32pmYeah right, who they kidding?
Report Post »They’re just going to bring it back under some other name…
This_Individual
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:41pmTrue that!
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:31pmIt’s great to hear some good news, every once in a blue moon.
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:30pmDo not stare at Obama’s butt too long.
Report Post »cantbelieveallthisgarbagecouldhappenwhodoislap
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:30pmIf you put every thing togather,You librals better wake up! Communist rule.
Report Post »I hope this is missreporting.
AJAYW
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:30pmWait, what are them going to replace it with? I smell something here! Don’t be over come with joy.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:59pmYou know it. If Obummer’s poll numbers stay this low or get worse, there is no way that free speach will be tolerated. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Report Post »Robert25252
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:28pmlol, we know where this is going.
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:25pmThat’s one for us; 102,367 for them.
Report Post »miketheartist
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:24pmHuzzah! Score one for the good guys!
http://www.BootToTheHeadStudios.com
Report Post »travlman77
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:46pmLoved the link, great cartoons!
Report Post »miketheartist
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:24pmThanks Travelman!
Report Post »