If media has liberal bias as conservatives claim, why are they so afraid of restoring the Fairness Doctrine?

Question

For at least 30 years, the right has claimed the media has an overwhelmingly liberal bias.

Up until about 20 years ago, there was a way they could have fought back: the Fairness Doctrine. It said controversial issues to be dealt with in a fair and accurate way.

I'm old enough to remember when it was around: some cranky old men were given a few minutes of uninterrupted time on local or even national news to point out what they thought were factual errors or bias in choice of stories or details.

If the media had that liberal bias, wouldn't the right have liked the Fairness Doctrine, so they could interrupt the news and point out the bias?

Instead, it was killed by a Reagan FCC appointee, and when Congress tried to make it a law, Reagan vetoed it and later Papa Bush did too.

Now most of talk radio is conservative and while Fox News is the only overtly right wing network, the others ape them or fear their attacks.

So what are they (or you) afraid of?

Answer 1

The Fairness Doctrine is an archaic FCC policy held over from the McCarthy days of anti-communism. It essentially allows political opponents of a private individual the right to respond to on-air criticism and/or endorsements.



The government should never dictate to the private media how they cover a news story or editorialize a politician. It wouldn't be fair if "W" demanded that a liberal radio show give him 5 minutes of air time for every attack they make, which under the F.D. he's allowed to do.



The F.D. was refused codification by the veto of Presidents Reagan and Bush Sr., and parts of the policy were repealed under President Clinton. It hasn't been popular with many politicians, largely because it is a gross and negligent violation of the First Amendment and violates the independence of journalism.

Answer 2

When 90% of print journalists admit to donating to the democratic party wouldn't any non-partisan person think a bias exists?

Come on! You can't seriously listen to the softball questions asked of the dems and compare it to whatever vitriolic nonsense is fumed at the republicans?

Listen to Fox News for a week and then go back to any of the other major networks. You'll be amazed at the difference.

The so-called "Fairness Doctrine" is aimed solely at conservative talk radio because Lib talk radio will never be able to compete. The truth scares all Libs!

Answer 3

I have to agree that the alleged liberal bias in news media is nonexistent. The ownership of print, radio, and television media are concentrated in a small number of hands, most of which are large corporations. While most of them are not as shameless as FOX in promoting a particular party line, most news media definitely have a right-wing, corporate flavour to them.

Answer 4

Liberals have most of the newspapers in the country plus they have ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC.