There have been persistent indications that liberals in Congress want to take legislative action to stifle conservative talk radio.
One suggested route would be to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine on radio and TV stations. It would demand that when programs express a particular point of view, stations would have to seek out an opposing point of view.
For example, if a station aired a conservative talk show or a Focus on the Family broadcast that offers opinions on what Congress is doing, it would have to find and air someone to present an opposing point of view. Historically, when the Fairness Doctrine was in effect, many stations chose to avoid issues programming altogether. That means many popular conservative talk radio shows would simply vanish, and many Christian radio stations would face the choice of either dropping issues-oriented programming or giving up airtime to groups such as Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., together with Reps. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, today introduced an amendment to the Financial Services Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2829, that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from using taxpayer dollars to impose the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters.
Pence is also planning on introducing the Broadcasters Freedom Act this week, which would block reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine.
"There is nothing fair about the Fairness Doctrine," he said in announcing the amendment. "Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. It is a dangerous proposal to suggest the government should be in the business of rationing free speech."
TAKE ACTION
Please call your U.S. representative immediately and ask him or her to reject any attempt to bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine and to support the Pence Amendment and the Broadcasters Freedom Act. You can find contact information for your representative in the CitizenLink Action Center.
