The Conservative Cave
Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: SSG Snuggle Bunny on February 05, 2009, 06:14:35 PM
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This morning, radio host Bill Press brought up the recent closing of liberal station Obama 1260 when speaking with Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and talked about whether there needs to be a balance to right-wing talk on the radio dial.
BILL PRESS: Yeah, I mean, look: They have a right to say that. They’ve got a right to express that. But, they should not be the only voices heard. So, is it time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine?
SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else — I absolutely think it’s time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves. I mean, our new president has talked rightly about accountability and transparency. You know, that we all have to step up and be responsible. And, I think in this case, there needs to be some accountability and standards put in place.
BILL PRESS: Can we count on you to push for some hearings in the United States Senate this year, to bring these owners in and hold them accountable?
SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I have already had some discussions with colleagues and, you know, I feel like that’s gonna happen. Yep.
Although Obama has been publicly opposed to reinstating the fairness doctrine, conservative radio has talked nonstop about the fear of it returning (or perhaps something like it with another name) while there's a Democrat in the White House and a Democratic majority in Congress.
UPDATE: A commenter points out that Stabenow is married to Tom Athans, a liberal talk radio executive.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0209/Sen_Stabenow_wants_hearings_on_radio_accountability_talks_fairness_doctrine.html?showall
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SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else
Yeah, its called "violation of the 1st Amendment" stupid lefty bitch!
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DUmmie politicians to each other
We control the TV Media -check
We control the print media-check
We control the radio airways- ch......OH HOLY SHIT!!!....We got to do something!!!!
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Fairness Doctrine = Democrats', liberals' and leftists' excuse -- or, Protect-Me-Mommy-From-Those-Nasty-Conservatives crying -- for their failure to articulate their political, social, religious and ethical dogmas in a way that anyone pays attention over radio broadcast airwaves.
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Say what? Don't the left have the legacy media and newspaper. I know they are not doing well, but they do control it.
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Yay. More
show trials hearings!
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I don't think we will ever see anything like the Fairness Doctrine, but I could be wrong. There's just not enough support, and too much opposition, in the country at large. Sure, a few left wingers would like to see it, but it smells too much like censorship for most folks. Rush alone would have a million people marching in the streets.
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For one, the argument can be made that the fairness doctrine is not needed.
After all, liberals won both House and Congress. Its not like their message didn't get out.
But I see several ominous things in these first two weeks.
1) the stifling of dissent. Free speech outlawed. Opposition voices silenced. Dissent is no longer patriotic.
2) Anti-Guns laws now in congress.
3) the 5.2 BILLION grant to ACORN to buy fraudulent votes/ Ensuring there will never be a free election again.
And this is just the first two weeks. I think Obama is going to go Hugo on us.
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For one, the argument can be made that the fairness doctrine is not needed.
After all, liberals won both House and Congress. Its not like their message didn't get out.
But I see several ominous things in these first two weeks.
1) the stifling of dissent. Free speech outlawed. Opposition voices silenced. Dissent is no longer patriotic.
2) Anti-Guns laws now in congress.
3) the 5.2 BILLION grant to ACORN to buy fraudulent votes/ Ensuring there will never be a free election again.
And this is just the first two weeks. I think Obama is going to go Hugo on us.
Okay, now you are scaring me. I think you are overreacting. (Even Hugo can't get everything he wants.) But I will be watching.
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There is only one way to keep this "fairness" issue from coming back again and again. The best solution (IMHO) is to end the poisonous idea that "the public owns the airwaves". That is the craptastic idea that the government and liberals exploit every time the issue comes up.
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Hmmmm, wonder why all those lefty newspapers are failing and conservative radio shows are thriving. Could it be advertising dollars spent where people want to hear what's being said? Nah, that couldn't be it. :whatever:
They gots two choices....force the UNfairness doctrine on us which will shut down radio talk shows entirely OR.....
newspapers and the rest of the MSM could become more conservative...thereby attracting more advertisers' $$$. Gee, which one will the libs pick? :banghead:
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There is only one way to keep this "fairness" issue from coming back again and again. The best solution (IMHO) is to end the poisonous idea that "the public owns the airwaves". That is the craptastic idea that the government and liberals exploit every time the issue comes up.
If the public "owns the airwaves," as they insist, where's our chunk of CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR, CNN, whatnot?
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There is only one way to keep this "fairness" issue from coming back again and again. The best solution (IMHO) is to end the poisonous idea that "the public owns the airwaves". That is the craptastic idea that the government and liberals exploit every time the issue comes up.
It's a hard call.
I think licensing should simply be a matter of staking-out a claim to a frequency in a given area...like homesteading.
I think certain standards do apply because I assure you if the libs could get away with running Brokeback Mountain between Barney and Sesame Street, they would.
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Can we demand that all the networks provide conservative programming during prime-time? Would all of the nightly news programs have to provide half of their on-air time to conservative viewpoints and stories? Heh, yeah that'll happen. :whatever:
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Can we demand that all the networks provide conservative programming during prime-time? Would all of the nightly news programs have to provide half of their on-air time to conservative viewpoints and stories? Heh, yeah that'll happen. :whatever:
All that has to happen is for Rush to call himself a liberal and Hannity can call himself a conservative. That way when the stations air Rush and Hannity back to back they can say they have 3 hours of liberalism to balance 3 hours of conservatism.
The question then becomes: does the government have the right to declare what does or does not constitute liberalism or conservativism? How such people must opine or vote on the various issues?
I think even Ruth Buzzy Ginsberg would have trouble with that.
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All that has to happen is for Rush to call himself a liberal and Hannity can call himself a conservative. That way when the stations air Rush and Hannity back to back they can say they have 3 hours of liberalism to balance 3 hours of conservatism.
The question then becomes: does the government have the right to declare what does or does not constitute liberalism or conservativism? How such people must opine or vote on the various issues?
I think even Ruth Buzzy Ginsberg would have trouble with that.
"Anyone who disagrees with Unca Zero is a conservative." Expect that to show up in Wiki...and if it's there, it must be so.
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If the public "owns the airwaves," as they insist, where's our chunk of CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR, CNN, whatnot?
Good question. No fairness doctrine for TV, newspapers or Universities (even State schools) though I would object to that for them too, even given the fact that "my side" would see the benifit. As to NPR, I've yet to see "our chunk" of their airtime but did notice they are happy (along with PBS) to take "their chunk" of tax dollars.
It's a hard call.
I think licensing should simply be a matter of staking-out a claim to a frequency in a given area...like homesteading.
I think certain standards do apply because I assure you if the libs could get away with running Brokeback Mountain between Barney and Sesame Street, they would.
Homesteading is a great analogy if not a perfect model for full privatization of the airwaves.
I agree there would be a potential for abuse as there is on the internet. (I hear the internet has porn now) But I don't think a Brokeback type of radio station would survive (maybe in S.F. but even they have Savage) in the marketplace being even less popular than Airhead America. Plus there are other ways to keep that stuff off the air by private means and public action. That would include new technology among other things.
The tradeoff of getting the government out of the radio bizz is worth it to me and it's really not even close.
Privatize the Airwaves (http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5129)
By: Robert W. Tracinski
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Mr Snuggle Bunny said:
"All that has to happen is for Rush to call himself a liberal and Hannity can call himself a conservative. "
The same way that senior executives will now call themselves "consultants" or "mailroom attendant" to thwart the $500K rule for bailout companies. This is what happens when congresscritters try and legislate language. It cannot be done. They never learn. Oh, and this would be absolute political suicide for them if they tried. Paltry support + passionate opposition = losing proposition. :loser:
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I suspect what's-his-name (the leftist radio host) is doing this for publicity. I am not much of a prophet, but I don't think the Fairness Doctrine is going to happen. But the liberals will listen to his show to see what will happen next, all worked into a lather. That's his goal. It may work, too. Personally, I have already forgotten his name.
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What we all forget is a liberal believes in free speech for me, fairness doctrine for thee!
What happens on college campi every time a conservative tries to speak his/her piece?
I rest my case!
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No, no, no, you don't understand - it's hate speech in their eyes when YOU do it. But don't give me that "public airwaves" Nonsense:
Of all liberal arguments for government control, this is perhaps one of the easiest to destroy.
Since the era of mass communications despots have realized that one of the keys to absolute power was control of the means of communication. Our founding fathers didn't do today's politicians any favors with the First Amendment. There is really nothing the power-hungry political class can do about newspapers because of that troublesome little guarantee of "freedom of the press." Clearly our framers intended for a prohibition of any control over the means of communication. Back then there were only two means of communication .. writing and the spoken word. Both were covered in the First Amendment.
http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2009/02/and-dont-give-me-this-publics.html
:p
In all seriousness, they ought to back off this kind of talk now - this is a political boiling point.
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In all seriousness, they ought to back off this kind of talk now - this is a political boiling point.
And, like we saw over the last two election cycles, eventually, things eventually switch. If the Dems want to try to regulate "free speech," then they should expect Republicans to regulate their "free speech" when things eventually come back to the Right. And they will.
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The most effective means of market control is the market itself. If people don't like what they hear on the radio, they will change the channel. No listeners means low Arbitron ratings, which decreases ad revenue. When the disliked radio personality fails to earn the station money, the personality will be cut from the lineup.
Q. Why do right-wing radio hosts almost never lose their jobs then ?
A. Supply and demand.
The truth is right-sided perspective and commentary in the media as a whole is so rare that when it appears it takes a much more massive amount of marketshare in relation because the outlets are so few.
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And, like we saw over the last two election cycles, eventually, things eventually switch. If the Dems want to try to regulate "free speech," then they should expect Republicans to regulate their "free speech" when things eventually come back to the Right. And they will.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending how your political persuasions lay, Repubs IE conservatives, just don't operate that way. We have always held the moral authority when it comes to dirty politics.
We'll never stoop to their brand of trash. I don't know if that is good or bad, but that is the way it is.
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I would expect more then just a few lawsuits to come out if they play this card against Rush and Talk Radio. Then expect it to go all the way to the SCOTUS
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The most effective means of market control is the market itself. If people don't like what they hear on the radio, they will change the channel. No listeners means low Arbitron ratings, which decreases ad revenue. When the disliked radio personality fails to earn the station money, the personality will be cut from the lineup.
Q. Why do right-wing radio hosts almost never lose their jobs then ?
A. Supply and demand.
The truth is right-sided perspective and commentary in the media as a whole is so rare that when it appears it takes a much more massive amount of marketshare in relation because the outlets are so few.
Air-America died why?
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I would expect more then just a few lawsuits to come out if they play this card against Rush and Talk Radio. Then expect it to go all the way to the SCOTUS
I agree. I don't know how the original fairness doctrine survide Constitution scrutiny.
It flys in the face of the 1st Amendment concerning Freedom of Speech.
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I agree. I don't know how the original fairness doctrine survide Constitution scrutiny.
It flys in the face of the 1st Amendment concerning Freedom of Speech.
Who here doubts that Rush would lay every dime he has out there to fight?
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Who here doubts that Rush would lay every dime he has out there to fight?
I don't.
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I don't.
I do not either. He's the biggest target for this and he has the biggest audience. It was probably no small wonder that he got the pay raise he did last year.
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Air-America died why?
Indeed - the market spoke - and the people in it seem to not care for moonbat radio. Imagine that... :-)
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Indeed - the market spoke - and the people in it seem to not care for moonbat radio. Imagine that... :-)
Moonbat radio fails because it'd be a 3 hour bitchfest of why socialism is good for America and also.. they don't take callers that may disagree with them. They'd have a hard time debating facts and reason with endless whining.