Kucinich: Congress Will Consider Bringing Back Fairness Doctrine

[NashVegas]

http://www.allaccess.com/

At the "Conference for Media Reform" in MEMPHIS on FRIDAY (1/12), Rep. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), making a surprise appearance, said that in his new capacity as Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee he would hold hearings on media ownership and the restoration of the Fairness Doctrine.

....

(Michael) COPPS proposed a new "American media contract" with broadcasters offering "local stations that are actually local," "news that isn’t canned and radio playlists that aren’t for sale," and "a right to programming that isn’t so damned bad so damned often," although he did not specify who would define what programming qualifies as "quality."

[Art_from_Ark]

1. Go get 'em, Dennis

The America mass media is in dire need a major overhaul

[Aviation Pro]

47. More like a major enema....

....first target, Rush Asshole Limbaugh.

[ebayfool]

2. And he's just the guy I want to see on this!

Rec'd!

Finally, some good news ... at the end of a spectacularly crappy day!

[PurityOfEssence]

3. YES!

Shore up the ruptures to pluralism that the reactionaries have methodically caused over the last two-and-a-half decades!

Get rid of unverifiable electronic voting, restore the fairness doctrine, re-institute media ownership rules and MAKE THESE THINGS STICK. If this can be done, the monarchists won't be as able to hoodwink everyone and turn this world into some ugly feudal hell-hole.

[derby378]

4. But will it apply to cable news channels, too?

Still, it's a great first step.

[Fridays Child]

7. Was there a loophole for cable, in the original law?

[eagler]

16. The FD only applied to over- the- airwaves broadcasting

But it can be renewed and revised. Where it is most needed is over AM-FM radio which is so dominated by RW talkshow hosts. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2053

[papau]

10. If the cable news uses limited bandwidth spectrum -directly or via Satellite - it should be

covered. A Sat repeater that allows a channel to use its services should be regulated so that hate shows or vulgar entertainment either does not appear or there are fines. Of course that screws Howard Stern and porn TV in addition to Rush and Fox News!

On second thought let's keep the regulation to over the air, but add/restore or just start enforcing the current community service rules and forbid Print/radio/TV combinations and require no monopoly.

[struggle4progress]

17. The combinations and monopolies really should be eliminated.

[Judi Lynn]

11. It by god SHOULD apply to cable news, too. They should be required to be truthful.

Isn't it a pity that things have gotten this twisted? The honor system never works around people without honor.

[rinsd]

38. I hope not. Last thing I want is the FCC with their slimy tentacles around cable

The big thing as has been mentioned elsewhere is the impact on radio.

I would rather that and broadcast networks and ownership rules revisions than extending the FCC's reach to cable.

[NEDem]

46. I'm with you 100%

let the cable networks do what they want. However the over-the-air broadcasters desperately need this legislation crammed down their collective throats.

[Gloria]

5. Nothing to consider...DO IT NOW!

[Cass]

6. OMG!! Thank heavens!!

Oh please, oh please, oh please - I hope this is for real and it passes.

[WhiteTara]

8. Yeah!

Democracy was dealt a near death blow when the fairness doctrine was removed. Now people can answer hate radio.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Can't get enough of THIS kind of news, you know! This is important.

Kucinich: Congress To Take On FCC

January 15, 2007

Over the weekend, the National Conference for Media Reform was held in Memphis, TN, with a number of notable speakers on hand for the event. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made an surprise appearance at the convention to announce that he would be heading up a new House subcommittee which will focus on issues surrounding the Federal Communications Commission.

The Presidential candidate said that the committee would be holding "hearings to push media reform right at the center of Washington.” The Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Government Reform Committee was to be officially announced this week in Washington, D.C., but Kucinich opted to make the news public early.

In addition to media ownership, the committee is expected to focus its attention on issues such as net neutrality and major telecommunications mergers. Also in consideration is the "Fairness Doctrine," which required broadcasters to present controversial topics in a fair and honest manner. It was enforced until it was eliminated in 1987.

Kucinich said in his speech that "We know the media has become the servant of a very narrow corporate agenda" and added "we are now in a position to move a progressive agenda to where it is visible."
(snip/...)

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=333927

Thanks to Crisco. This is a GREAT way to start off a week.

[clmbohdem]

12. This is GREAT!

[Kelvin Mace]

13. YES!!!!

This is CRITICAL to restoring sanity to the American political landscape.

[rodeodance]

14. whow ho. way to go

[mzmolly]

15. Thank GOODNESS!

:toast:

[Barrett808]

18. That might be the single most significant and revolutionary act this congress could perform

Fingers crossed.

[librarycard]

19. What's to consider, other than the desperate need for fairness in media?

[PittPoliSci]

20. go Dennis!

[kestrel91316]

21. They better do more than "consider" it. They better DO IT.

:mad:

[rman]

22. my thoughts exactly

I'm pretty sure they'd do it if it were up to Kucinich, but it isn't up to him alone.

[Zhade]

23. YES! DO IT!

NT!

[Raksha]

24. This is the best news I've heard in a long time! n/t

[Mrspeeker]

25. YAY YAY YAY

MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[orleans]

26. consider? just consider? come on! we want to win in 08 too!

besides...it would put faux out of business! HA!

[killbotfactory]

27. I wish

If he pulls that off, I'll vote for him for pres.

[auburngrad82]

28. Excellent. nt

[tavalon]

29. Oh, blessed wonderfulness.

[lonestarnot]

30. Man oh man! 3 good news stories this a.m. but I'm still looking

for the We bombed Iran story.

[BreweryYardRat]

31. Yes PLEASE!

Not always too fond of Kucinich, but this has been needed for years.

[Lost4words]

32. If only, the airwaves belong to the people, give it back. This must happen!

otherwise forget all the phony freedon and liberty crap.

[jsamuel]

33. if he can actually get this done, his prospects for President would rise dramatically

They are starting pretty low, but it would put him on a different playing level.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

34. Only way to control excesses of corporate whore media, should call it the "stop swift boating bill."

[Spiffarino]

35. Best news of the week!

Thanks, Crisco!

:kick:

[NotGivingUp]

36. this is EXACTLY what we need!! i'm backing kucinich all the way.

[brg5001]

37. Good! Because "Fair and Balanced" = "Separate but Equal"

The current scheme is an abject failure. If, as Drug-Addled Gasbag Rush Limbaugh states, the Fairness Doctrine isn't necessary anymore because there are a multiplicity of opinions available to the public, due to proliferation of hundreds of TV channels available on satellite and cable (along with the Internet), then his corporate media cronies should put their f*&^ing money where their mouth is.

That is, they should have no problem with using their unimportant, devalued 50,000-watt AM clear channel stations (such as WLW, WLAC, WABC, WSB, KABC) etc to allow opposing viewpoints to be aired. After all, those big AM powerhouse stations are comparative pipsqueaks and just aren't worth so much anymore, because we have satellite TV and the Internet, RIGHT? In all seriousness, they will fight the Fairness Doctrine tooth and nail because they don't believe that the airways belong to the public -- they belong to the highest bidder. True equal time would consist of an hour of Rush followed by an hour of Stephanie Miller or Mike Malloy, and the media whores don't want other voices. They claim that they'll lose ratings, when the reality is, Randi Rhodes is wiping the floor with Hannity in market after market. What we have now is "All Wingnut, All the Time" and the Shits Just Keep on Comin' in the form of wall-to-wall Republican talking points delivered by Hannity-Limbaugh-Savage(Weiner)-Boortz-Ingraham-Praeger and other pea-brained loudmouths. Enough! Go Kucinich!

[lovuian]

39. WooHoo

:woohoo:

[samfishX]

40. I'm all for this

But ONLY if it includes an exception for talk radio.

A new fairness doctrine should basically say, "You're either a news channel or an opinion channel. Pick one."

heh- it would be hilarious seeing the rats at Fox News scurrying around after hearing that, too.

[BattyDem]

48. "You're either a news channel or an opinion channel. Pick one."

EXACTLY! Anything called "news" should be required to be fair, balanced and accurate. Opinions should be identified so the viewer knows that the talking heads are NOT necessarily talking about the facts.

[lildreamer316]

41. Hell yes!!!!

Oh; I SO hope this goes somewhere!!!

[IronLionZion]

42. Do it Dennis! eom

[Marnieworld]

43. It's about time

Fox News would cease to exist. I think it should also be illegal to broadcast lies as news.

[fooj]

45. Me, too.

I can't believe that it is NOT illegal. Lies are lies. Period.

[OnyxCollie]

44. Chris on the Stephanie Miller show was not pleased about it.

He said it would require shows, not stations, to broadcast differing opinions. Thus, Stephanie would have to balance a John Murtha interview with an interview with pus bag Mitch McConnell. (I doubt John "The Boner" Boehner would come on.)

[robcon]

49. The Fairness Doctrine is unfair.

It is anti-free speech, and we should all work to prevent this misguided policy from coming into effect.

Freedom means free. Free to say anything.

[LanternWaste]

51. The broadcasters are still free to say anything

The broadcasters are still free to say anything, the Fairness Doctrine merely means that they are required to an opposing view *in addition to* the editorialist's comments.

[Frank Cannon]

52. That is correct, my friend

The repugs aren't afraid of stifling speech. They're afraid of the other side having to be represented, period.

The FD says that Bill O'Reilly can flap his fat yap 12 hours a day, if he wants, as long as the same time is offered to an opposing view.

[eagler]

54. The FD provides for opposing viewpoints to be heard

It's not perfect and it will need to be updated to reflect today's enviroment but it's certainly better than the government propaganda we're stuck with today on the airwaves.

[eagler]

55. It will make Limbaugh and Hannity accountable for

what they put out.

[w4rma]

50. Very very very good. (nt)

[mcscajun]

53. YES! This is what so many of us have been waiting for!

The Fairness Doctrine shall return! I hope, I hope, I hope.