Fairness?

I haven't been able to figure out a way to approach this subject, let alone speak to it in a way that would move anyone to care, so I'm just going to jump in head-first ... although it'll no doubt become a continuing series, because a book could be written on the subject.

There's been little mention in the media, apart from conservative talk radio, on the Left's ramped-up efforts to reinstitute something called The Fairness Doctrine which, if in place, could take a serious bite out of radio's conservative voice ... and, hence, the only conservative voice out there apart from Fox News and the blogosphere.

The background, in a nutshell, is a law that came about in the 1940s decreeing that any political voice on radio had to offer balance. In other words, if someone wanted to voice his or her 2 cents on any political subject of the day, they had to provide equal time to a dissenting voice. Not a bad thing, considering radio's place in the realm of information then.

Ronald Reagan's administration did away with most of the regulation, and the free market of ideas, debate and information began to flourish. Through two decades, talk radio grew from a tiny fraction of AM airtime to what it is today.

But here's the rub ... as far as Libs are concerned, anyway. While conservative personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Neal Boortz, Michael Savage, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity have attracted ever-growing audiences, the Libs failed at every turn, most notably with Air America. And what was a trickle of movement to silence the Right throughout the 1990s and this decade has become a torrent now that Democrats control Congress.

It's not enough that the Libs have every over-the-air TV broadcasting network and most of the nation's highest-circulated newspapers doing their bidding. You see, this isn't an issue of "fairness." Socialists (which the far left is, let's be honest here) don't want ANY dissenting voice. That's why they're so rabidly anti-Fox News, when the network is easily the most balanced in the business. What they hate ... what makes those forehead veins really bulge ... is the idea that anyone would question their B.S. or throw facts in the path of their often baseless claims or statements.

Bottom line, folks, is that there aren't many radio stations that will continue carrying the Limbaughs and Hannitys if they have to match those hours with a Liberal voice. For one thing, the financial loss in doing so (Air America went bankrupt, after all) would put them out of business. One affiliate here in North Texas has conservative talk shows that run from early morning until mid-evening, so there's not even time if they wanted to.

So the effect is fewer stations bothering with any form of discussion or public debate. And that's fine with the Libs, because this won't apply to television.

Right now, we have the protection of a Republican in the White House (or so it seems lately), so nothing Congress passes automatically becomes law ... and the Libs don't have the votes to override a veto.

What happens in 2008, though, is what will count as far as this issue is concerned.

(Imported from Feb. 6, 2007)