Commentary: “Fairness Doctrine” - Forcing An Empty Message?

Commentary: “Fairness Doctrine” - Forcing An Empty Message?

Many Democrats and a few Republicans on Capitol Hill name and call it the “Fairness Doctrine”. The name itself sounds as refreshing as a large glass full of ice water on a hot, oppressive, summer day. Oh, how wrongly directed this representation really is!

Do not be fooled! The majority Democrats and some of the Republicans on Capitol Hill know that America is tuned into, listening to, and responding to so many radio talk show hosts alike to Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Reagan, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Neal Boortz, and the list goes on. Some legislators on Capitol Hill hear from these listeners and now hear what some of our elected officials are doing. Americans are responding. So many elected officials do not want you, as Americans, to know what is going on, and what we as citizens, are responding to.

Conservative talk radio is growing while liberal talk radio is dying. Rush Limbaugh has more listeners alone than most popular liberal talkers Al Franken, Ed Schultz, and Jerry Springer all together. Fact is, Rush has some fifty (50%) percent more listeners at any given time than the listed liberal talkers all totaled together. Americans turn to talk radio because they hunger for more of the conservative message, which is unavailable otherwise. The TV network news and the major print medias block the same conservative messages as it is in opposition to their more liberal view.

That is the problem with most Democrats and a few Republicans. While Americans are listening to talk radio, America is tuning in and listening to the more conservative message while turning their back on the liberal messages in the network TV news and the major print medias. Americans rejects the liberal “empty message”.

Members on Capitol Hill are now considering legislation, the “Fairness Doctrine”, to require conservative talk show personalities to share half of their radio airtime to the liberal views, which the listeners reject. Their legislation would adjust “freedom of speech” to meets their own political goals, although it is in violation of our US Constitution.

Will their legislation require College and University administrations to hire conservative professors in lieu of ones’ with liberal views? I doubt that.

Will their legislation require liberal print media to hire conservative writers, editors, and/or other news analysts? I doubt that.

Will their legislation require TV network (NBC, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, CNN) news to hire conservative news’ anchors, reporters, editors, etc.? I doubt that. When will NBC-TV news employ 50%, or 25%, or even 10% of conservative TV news reporters? When will NBC-TV news utilize just one (1) conservative news reporter? Fox News Channel is the single source in TV network news offering an alternative conservative news view.

I ask these questions, as it appears some of our legislators on Capitol Hill do not like what you are listening to and responding to. Many of these legislators, in their own mind, truly believe they are so much more well informed than you and I. With that thought, these legislators are attempting to decide what and whom you can listen to, what you must think, and what you must believe in.

When some politicians fail to win their political arguments and they are in a majority, they choose to legislate it. Some of their messages are very much similar to inviting your best friend for dinner in your home, only for your guest to find your refrigerator and your cupboards are both totally empty.

This issue called the “Fairness Doctrine” is directed at conservative talk radio hosts and America’s radio listeners. You and I must not become a victim to this newly proposed and unconstitutional legislation.

It is essential for our legislators on Capitol Hill to allow the “free market” to decide this issue, or require Colleges and Universities to hire conservative professors, require newspapers and magazines to hire conservative editors and writers, require TV networks to hire conservative news anchors, reporters, and editors to bring a true “Fairness Doctrine” into our American homes. I will bet that will not happen!

Oscar Y. Harward
oharward@carolina.rr.com