This is the title of Ken Blackwell’s recent column posted (HT Pullinsreport) at Townhall.com. This of course refers to the liberal push to legislate “fairness” on the radio waves. Conservative talk dominates the radio and despite the fact that millions have been pumped into Air America, even this nurtured child of the left cannot compete. What’s the obvious liberal solution? Of course just legislate fairness. Think that the fairness will apply to all media? Think again.
Before we begin the chorus of amens, it’s important to note the congressman isn’t talking about the evening news on ABC, CBS and NBC. He isn’t talking about the New York Times, Washington Post, L.A. Times, San Francisco Chronicle or even the Cleveland Plain Dealer. And no, he doesn’t care about CNN and MSNBC either. They don’t bother the good representative. He is talking about Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Hugh Hewitt, Dennis Prager and Michael Medved.
While liberals hold a virtual monopoly on broadcast television and print news, many on the left just can’t stomach the reality of a dominant conservative presence on talk radio. They want to give Mr. Franken and his pessimism and rage-filed talk radio comrades something they could not obtain on their own – market share.
This is why liberals are so eager to bring back a roundly rejected and blatantly unconstitutional piece of government intrusiveness know as the Fairness Doctrine. And Hinchey is ready to do the heavy lifting with his Media Ownership Reform Act, which includes reinstatement of the doctrine. If it passes, the legislation would force radio stations that air conservative talk shows to also air liberal shows – regardless of listener interest or sponsor support.
Blackwell hits this one right on the head. Don’t give the comrades what they want, give them what the Politburo wants them to have.
