Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Kucinich: "Fairness" Doctrine to Return?

Attempting to gain visibility, Denny Kook-inich wants to impose the "Fairness" doctrine on your radio.

This is LeftoWackie code for "Imposing Our Views on You."

The Fairness Doctrine did not require broadcasters to present issues in a "fair and honest manner"; it required them to turn their stations into ping-ponging punditry if they allowed opinion to appear on the air at all. It created such a complicated formula that most broadcasters simply refused to air any political programming, as it created a liability for station owners for being held hostage to all manner of complaints about lack of balance.

Why would Kucinich want to reimpose the Fairness Doctrine and kill off the AM band and talk radio? Because his allies have proven less successful than conservatives at building a market for their broadcasts. Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt, and a slew of conservative thinkers carved out an industry out of the AM wilderness, and the Al Frankens and Wendy Wildes can't keep up without government intervention. Air America would lose as well in this scenario, but I'm sure Kucinich sees that as a fair trade, and for good reason.

Of course, at this time, there are ways to get around AM radio. Podcast and other 'net devices are out there, after all.

Another alternative: take a pitchfork to Kook-inich's ass.

HT: Captain's Quarters

No comments: