The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).





Of Bradley County Tn.


AUGUST  2007

                            The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.

Feature Writers

HOME

BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE

EDITORIALS

LETTERS

CONTACT US

HEALTH

PUBLIC SQUARE

JENNIFER'S CORNER

SPECIAL REPORT

TN.  MOCKINGBIRD

A PERSONAL VIEW

REALM OF REALITY

COLUMNIST

SPORTS

COLUMNIST

MATTER OF FAITH

HOT GOSSIP

FEED BAG

WW II SECRETS

READ ALL ABOUT IT

KATIE'S SPOT

Chloe

B J Armstrong

J C Bowman


Jennifer Bowman

Alexandra Edwards


June Griffin


Mel Griffith


Toneeke Henderson


Ned Hickson


Jerry Keys


Joe Kirkpatrick


Pastor Joel Lawler


Linda Moore


Pauline Murphy


Cecil Owen


Pettus Read


Katie McFadden


Chloe Lawler

Dems push to regulate Talk Radio

Capitol Hill Democrats support reinstating the Fairness Doctrine to stifle conservative media.

By Pete Edwards

It was reported by the Washington Times (www.washingtontimes.com
) that Senate Democrats on July 20, beat back a Republican attempt to attach an anti-Fairness Doctrine bill as an amendment to education legislation.

The doctrine, a former requirement that broadcasters present opposing points of view on political issues, was scrapped in 1987 by the Federal Communications Commission, which said the policy restricted journalistic freedom. The bill by Sen. Norm Coleman, Minnesota Republican, would prevent the FCC from reinstating the doctrine.

EDITORIALS

JOKES & HUMOR


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


CARTOONS

The Fairness Doctrine has been a hot topic in the last month after a liberal think tank on June 20 concluded that political talk radio is "dominated" by conservatives 9-to-1. The report, by the Center for American Progress, said the talk-radio landscape does not serve all Americans.

Air America, a prominent liberal talk-radio network, was bailed out of bankruptcy in January by real estate tycoon Stephen L. Green.

The Hill (www.thehill.com
) reported that conservatives fear that forcing stations to

A fun way to find what
you want in Cleveland

Cleveland-Bradley
Business Online

www.ClevelandBradleyBusiness.com

make equal time for liberal talk radio would slash profits and pressure radio executives to scale back on conservative programming to avoid escalating costs and interference from government regulators. Opponents of the Fairness Doctrine argue that radio stations would suffer financially if forced to air liberal as well as conservative programs because liberal talk radio has not proven popular or profitable. For example, Air America, which was unpopular with radio listeners, was the liberals' answer to "The Rush Limbaugh Show" and Michael Medved.

On June 24, U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., said  she is "looking at" the possibility of reviving the fairness doctrine for U.S. broadcasters.

Feinstein, speaking on "Fox News Sunday" with Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said talk radio in particular has presented a one-sided view of immigration reform legislation being considered by the Senate.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday that listeners should be able to decide if they want to hear different political arguments.

"The best way is to let the judgment of the American people decide, and they can decide with their finger," Boehner said.

Back Issue
Archive

Click here to go to latest issue

What Do You Think?
SURVEY


Would you support reviving the Fairness Doctrine as Washington Democrats have suggested, with the primary purpose of the government regulating the predominately conservative Talk Radio? (see story this page)

"[People] can turn it off or they can turn it on. They can go to their computer and read it on the Internet."

Flake added: "Rather than having the government regulate what people can say, we should let the market decide what people want to hear. That's precisely why the Fairness Doctrine was abandoned, and that's why it ought not to be revived."

Days after the release of the Center for American Progress report, Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, shared a conversation he said he overheard three years earlier between Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barbara Boxer of California, in which the women called for a "legislative fix" to counter the influence of "extremist" talk-radio hosts. Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Boxer denied the conversation took place.

Opponents to the Fairness Doctrine say that Democrats are eager to stifle conservative talk radio but as was proven before the doctrine was repealed in 1987 the liberal dominated mainstream media  such as NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS still slanted their programming towards the Democrats. They say that control of the media has always been a priority of left wing governments and the Fairness Doctrine, while purporting to level the playing field actually tilts it for the benefit of left wing politics.

While the current Republican-led FCC poses no threat of reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, Republicans in both the House and Senate were quick to introduce bills that would prohibit a future Democrat-led agency from doing so. In the House, Rep. Mike Pence, Indiana Republican, has 135 co-sponsors of his version of the Broadcaster Freedom Act.

Mark S. Fowler, the former FCC chairman who led the charge to shelve the doctrine prior to its later repeal, said calls for its revival are "unacceptable."

Asked whether there is any viable chance of the policy being reinstated, Mr. Fowler told editors and reporters at The Washington Times yesterday: "I don't think so; I hope not." "The electronic press that uses electrons and airwaves should be as free as the press that uses ink and paper, period," he said.

He asserted that lawmakers who say the doctrine is in the public interest are "politicians trying to control part of the press. To say the airwaves belong to the people -- all these reasons they use to regulate are excuses. They're not reasons."

It is likely that Capitol Hill Democrats will continue the push to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine to regulate the media and eventually, as has been suggested, the flow of information on the Internet.

Sources:
www.washingtontimes.com

www.thehill.com

.

Totals for this survey will be tabulated at the end of August 2007.
Click here for results after August

The People News
PO Box 3921
Cleveland TN. 37320
(423) 559-2150  Fax 559-1044

Pete Edwards, Editor - Publisher
Copyright 2007 (All rights reserved)

Editorials

Website Survey Results

Salute to our troops


Eight and Counting

Tunes 4 the Troops

.

HOME

BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE

EDITORIALS

LETTERS

CONTACT US