The time to act is now.
That's the message Dr. James Dobson shared on the June 23 Focus on the Family Action radio broadcast.
"There is such a danger lurking out there with regard to all of conservative talk radio, including Focus on the Family," Dr. Dobson said. "We have reason to believe that if the Democrats continue to hold a majority in the House and the Senate … one of the first things (they) are going to want to do is to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine."
The so-called Fairness Doctrine was put in place in 1949 to force the nation's TV and radio broadcasters to make time for voices on both sides of controversial issues. It was dropped as new technologies offered an abundance of sources for information and viewpoints.
If resurrected, Christian radio stations discussing abortion likely would have to give airtime to a pro-abortion voice like Planned Parenthood. Some stations may choose to avoid such topics altogether.
Joining Dr. Dobson on the broadcast were Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy at Focus Action; Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus Action; and Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.
Pence is trying to force a vote on the Broadcaster Freedom Act (H.R. 2905), which would prohibit the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine.
Pence said the Fairness Doctrine "represents an existential threat to conservative talk radio."
"If 218 members of Congress put their signature on the (discharge) petition, then we'll be able to bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act to the floor of Congress," he said. "I'm sad to report that after 250 days, not one single Democrat in the House of Representatives has put their name on the dotted line."
Dr. Dobson asked his listeners to take immediate action.
"If our listeners would like to continue to hear conservative views … if they would like to continue to hear Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Hugh Hewitt, they had better respond quickly," he said.
"There is nothing more powerful than a respectful phone call," Pence said.
TAKE ACTION
Please protect our freedom of speech by calling your U.S. representative.
