Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family Action, used today's radio broadcast to alert his listeners to a push by Democrats to restrict broadcast freedom.
"The far Left, and especially the Democratic leadership in Congress, is maneuvering to bring back this Fairness Doctrine, which was in effect from '49 to '87, when it was repealed," Dr. Dobson said. "It was a miserable failure. It stifled speech which is guaranteed in the Constitution, and yet because talk radio tends to be conservative, those who come from the Leftist end of the political continuum want to do what they can to muzzle it and stifle it."
Congressional Democrats have threatened to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which would require the nation's TV and radio broadcasters to make time for voices on both sides of controversial issues. For example, pro-life stories would need to include comments from Planned Parenthood or another pro-abortion group.
Last week, President Bush assured members of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) that he will not let Congress take away their freedom to use the airwaves to spread the truth. Dr. Dobson played an excerpt from the president's speech on his program.
Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., is circulating a discharge petition to force a vote on the Broadcaster Freedom Act, which would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine.
"They need only 24 more congressmen to sign on to the Broadcaster Freedom Act to get a vote in the House," Dr. Dobson said. "We're very, very close to getting it done, and we need a massive outpouring from our listeners to urge 24 more members of the House to sign on to the petition."
TAKE ACTION
Check the list to see if your representative has failed to sign the petition. If he or she has failed to sign the petition, please ask him or her to do so, as well as support the Broadcaster Freedom Act (H.R. 2905). You can find more information through our Action Center.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
In his Stoplight video commentary, Stuart Shepard discusses the impact of the Fairness Doctrine with his liberal alter ego.
