Author Topic: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT  (Read 6314 times)

Desertdog

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DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« on: October 20, 2008, 02:02:56 PM »
DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10202008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/dems_get_set_to_muzzle_the_right_134399.htm?&page=0

SHOULD Barack Obama win the presidency and Democrats take full control of Congress, next year will see a real legislative attempt to bring back the Fairness Doctrine - and to diminish conservatives' influence on broadcast radio, the one medium they dominate.

Yes, the Obama campaign said some months back that the candidate doesn't seek to re-impose this regulation, which, until Ronald Reagan's FCC phased it out in the 1980s, required TV and radio broadcasters to give balanced airtime to opposing viewpoints or face steep fines or even loss of license. But most Democrats - including party elders Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry and Al Gore - strongly support the idea of mandating "fairness."


Would a President Obama veto a new Fairness Doctrine if Congress enacted one? It's doubtful.

The Fairness Doctrine was an astonishingly bad idea. It's a too-tempting power for government to abuse. When the doctrine was in effect, both Democratic and Republican administrations regularly used it to harass critics on radio and TV.

Second, a new Fairness Doctrine would drive political talk radio off the dial. If a station ran a big-audience conservative program like, say, Laura Ingraham's, it would also have to run a left-leaning alternative. But liberals don't do well on talk radio, as the failure of Air America and indeed all other liberal efforts in the medium to date show. Stations would likely trim back conservative shows so as to avoid airing unsuccessful liberal ones.

Then there's all the lawyers you'd have to hire to respond to the regulators measuring how much time you devoted to this topic or that. Too much risk and hassle, many radio executives would conclude. Why not switch formats to something less charged - like entertainment or sports coverage?

For those who dismiss this threat to freedom of the airwaves as unlikely, consider how the politics of "fairness" might play out with the public. A Rasmussen poll last summer found that fully 47 percent of respondents backed the idea of requiring radio and television stations to offer "equal amounts of conservative and liberal political commentary," with 39 percent opposed.

Liberals, Rasmussen found, support a Fairness Doctrine by 54 percent to 26 percent, while Republicans and unaffiliated voters were more evenly divided. The language of "fairness" is seductive.

Even with control of Washington and public support, Dems would have a big fight in passing a Fairness Doctrine. Rush Limbaugh & Co. wouldn't sit by idly and let themselves be regulated into silence, making the outcome of any battle uncertain. But Obama and the Democrats also plan other, more subtle regulations that would achieve much the same outcome.

He and most Democrats want to expand broadcasters' public-interest duties. One such measure would be to impose greater "local accountability" on them - requiring stations to carry more local programming whether the public wants it or not. The reform would entail setting up community boards to make their demands known when station licenses come up for renewal. The measure is clearly aimed at national syndicators like Clear Channel that offer conservative shows. It's a Fairness Doctrine by subterfuge.

Obama also wants to relicense stations every two years (not eight, as is the case now), so these monitors would be a constant worry for stations. Finally, the Democrats also want more minority-owned stations and plan to intervene in the radio marketplace to ensure that outcome.

It's worth noting, as Jesse Walker does in the latest Reason magazine, that Trinity Church, the controversial church Obama attended for many years, is heavily involved in the media-reform movement, having sought to restore the Fairness Doctrine, prevent media consolidation and deny licenses to stations that refuse to carry enough children's programming.

Regrettably, media freedom hasn't been made an issue by the McCain campaign, perhaps because the maverick senator is himself no fan of unbridled political speech, as his long support of aggressive campaign-finance regulation underscores. But the threat to free speech is real - and profoundly disturbing.

Brian C. Anderson is editor of City Journal and co-author, with Adam Thierer, of "A Manifesto for Media Freedom," just out from Encounter Books.

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2008, 02:06:46 PM »
Podcasts. End of talk radio.

mtnbkr

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2008, 02:17:26 PM »
Problem with podcasts is you can't accidentally discover them while on long car trips.

Chris

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2008, 02:41:40 PM »
Problem with podcasts is you can't accidentally discover them while on long car trips.

Chris

This is true...but if they instituted that, and people were forced to have their Laura Ingraham followed by Randi Rhodes' blithering leftist screeching, I think radio and satellite would lose a lot more listeners, and people would just load up devices with podcasts of what they WANT to hear. As in, the market at work.

AZRedhawk44

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2008, 03:17:56 PM »
Podcasts are a step.... but they are a pre-recorded MP3 or similar file that you already know exists.  You have to go out and deliberately download it, or subscribe to an automated download service.  There may or may not be a payment involved.

None of this is really friendly to casual band-scanning on a road trip or other functionality that allows for discovery.

Incorporation of a Fairness Doctrine would lead quickly to adoption of IP-based computing for your car stereo and a minimalist computing environment that connects to the internet via your cellular phone and operates an IP-"radio" of pre-selected "stations."  These "stations" would be websites (perhaps your own, even?) that stream a pre-determined series of audio files that are queued by the site owner.

Drudge, for example, could multicast a stream of commercial-laden Rush/Hannity/Savage et cetera to listeners for free.  Local radio stations (KFYI in Phoenix) could stream their same local hosts with commercials and keep the same format.  Perhaps even augment the advertising with a small banner on the in-dash controls... Around noon you'd see McDonald's ads, and at happy hour you might see an ad for the local Applebee's.

We'd probably have even greater listening flexibility.

How many of you guys have ever heard Barry Young?  He's a Phoenix talkjock that many of you would probably like, but have never heard.  I'm sure there's dozens out in the local markets I've never heard before and would enjoy more than Rush or Sean.  It might force a market re-adjustment that would do us some good.
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Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2008, 03:19:31 PM »
If the whitespace is used for wide area network, in-car internet is definitely possible.

AZRedhawk44

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2008, 03:31:04 PM »
Quote
If the whitespace is used for wide area network, in-car internet is definitely possible.

By whitespace do you mean on the AM or FM band?

We can't do that.  Those are reserved for commercial broadcast and subject to FCC regulation, thereby getting you in hock with the Fairness Doctrine.  You couldn't run a simplex IP multicast network that way, because you have to send a request to subscribe to the multicast stream.  Radio is one-way.

We couldn't jump to CB either.  That's public use and cannot be monopolized for commercial purposes.

Unless you're talking about other whitespace?
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."
--Lysander Spooner

I reject your authoritah!

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2008, 03:36:36 PM »
Soon to be gone analog TV range. That can cover just about everywhere.

mtnbkr

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2008, 03:38:32 PM »
I do believe that spectrum is spoken for already.  Either way, if it's broadcast, it is subject to FCC oversight and control, even wireless networking.

Chris

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2008, 03:41:09 PM »
I have to wonder how they would plan to enforce this on satellite, even.

XM currently has America Right and America Left. Not like it's listenable due to XM's obnoxious amount of scam ads on all talk channels, but would they force them to be one channel so people cannot choose one or the other?

freedom lover

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2008, 03:49:10 PM »
Quote
Either way, if it's broadcast, it is subject to FCC oversight and control, even wireless networking.

Then I hope that will have changed by the time they create a worldwide wireless internet network. Imagine only being able to surf government approved sites on your handheld wireless computer (I'm talking about decades in the future.)

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2008, 03:51:46 PM »
your handheld wireless computer (I'm talking about decades in the future.)

Like...a Blackberry or iPhone?

freedom lover

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2008, 03:58:51 PM »
I was thinking worldwide coverage and completely free use. Something with full net surfing capabilities that could be upgraded someday for use with brain (or ear) implanted chips and detachable modems. Maybe I'm dreaming.

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2008, 04:01:22 PM »
I was thinking worldwide coverage and completely free use. Something with full net surfing capabilities that could be upgraded someday for use with brain (or ear) implanted chips and detachable modems. Maybe I'm dreaming.

It wouldn't be free, you'd pay for it with taxes, and it'd likely be poor service as a result of being government-run.

You can already get global Internet by using one of the devices I mentioned, browse the web and do everything you want.

mtnbkr

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2008, 04:13:29 PM »
Then I hope that will have changed by the time they create a worldwide wireless internet network. Imagine only being able to surf government approved sites on your handheld wireless computer (I'm talking about decades in the future.)

The FCC doesn't control the content of Internet traffic sent over wireless links today, why would they start with your utopian future?  They do have something to say about how your 802.11 access point operates, for example.  That's to keep yours from stepping on everybody else's, or to keep it from causing interference with other spectrum users.

Chris

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2008, 04:20:50 PM »
I never said it was utopia. Its not my idea of utopia.

Besides, if your brain is connected to the net, even for a short time, your brain can eventually be hacked. That and cost are good reasons why it would probably never be come common.

Manedwolf

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2008, 04:35:51 PM »
I never said it was utopia. Its not my idea of utopia.

Besides, if your brain is connected to the net, even for a short time, your brain can eventually be hacked. That and cost are good reasons why it would probably never be come common.

The thing is that it already exists, though. You can get a 3G smartphone of any type, get an unlimited data contract, and be on the web from anywhere.

freedom lover

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2008, 04:41:57 PM »
I was talking about brain implants connected to the 'net dang it!

Maybe I should have investigated smartphones and such before I posted. I thought they had to have the little regional chip in them before they would work. I also had no idea that you could use a Blackberry outside of this
continent. Like they say, Google is your friend.

MechAg94

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2008, 05:17:51 PM »
Haven't there been Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episodes about everyone getting their information from the "net" via implants and then it was shut down and no one knew anything? 
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Monkeyleg

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2008, 05:53:21 PM »
Why is everyone talking about techie ways to get around the Fairness Doctrine, rather than ways to fight it?

Leatherneck

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2008, 07:36:05 PM »
Given the current state of MSM comments and "news reporting," why would we conservatives fear a fairness doctrine? Seems to me it would be another unnecessary law that would-in this case-benefit the good guys.

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Desertdog

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2008, 10:41:49 PM »
Quote
Given the current state of MSM comments and "news reporting," why would we conservatives fear a fairness doctrine? Seems to me it would be another unnecessary law that would-in this case-benefit the good guys.
It will be written in such a way that ABCTV, CBS, NBC, NPR, MSNBC, CNN, and all other MSM will be in full complience.  Fox News and all conservative radio  will of course need to comply.

RevDisk

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #22 on: October 21, 2008, 12:10:05 AM »
Then I hope that will have changed by the time they create a worldwide wireless internet network. Imagine only being able to surf government approved sites on your handheld wireless computer (I'm talking about decades in the future.)

There are virtually no universal frequencies.  There are a couple, very few, set aside in aviation and maritine.  Any frequency that can be used for wide area internet usage, can be used for commercial purposes.   Which do you think ANY government will pick?   Free unlimited knowledge for the masses, or a metric load of cold hard cash.  Now trying to imagine convincing all governments on the planet to ignore the cash and explain to them it's to give uncensored information straight to their citizens.  Censoring countries will deny it on principle., and noncensoring countries will roll their eyes.
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mtnbkr

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #23 on: October 21, 2008, 08:08:21 AM »
Not to mention the sort of infrastructure it will take to get the sort of bandwidth everyone expects these days...

Chris

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Re: DEMS GET SET TO MUZZLE THE RIGHT
« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2008, 12:45:17 PM »
Haven't there been Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episodes about everyone getting their information from the "net" via implants and then it was shut down and no one knew anything? 

I was just thinking about that Outer Limits episode....the one person who couldn't have the implant that everyone thought was stupid for reading ended up being the one who had to teach everyone to read and think again....great story....that's why, even with the Internet, I'll choose a regular book over an e-book...
Impressed yet befogged, they grasped at his vivid leading phrases, seeing only their surface meaning, and missing the deeper current of his thought.