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Ever since Reagan decided to end the Fairness Doctrine the quality of our media and news presentations has gone down hill. Had he not ended this, there would have been no Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. We'd be a better country.
Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine: I’d Rather Have Debate Than Ranting-and-Raving Journalism
By Nancy Graham Holm
When it comes to influencing public opinion, broadcasting has been the single most powerful force in American society since the turn of the 20th century, but especially since 1987.
Why 1987?
Because that’s the year American society lost accountability for one-sided opinions spread over the airwaves. More specifically, August 1987 is when American broadcasting lost The Fairness Doctrine, an FCC regulation that required owners of broadcast licenses to present both sides of controversial issues considered to be in the public interest.
Failure to comply risked a challenge to the owner’s license.
The abolition of The Fairness Doctrine had many opponents but they lost to the Reagan Revolution anti-regulatory extremists. Reagan’s new FCC chair, Mark S. Fowler, sneered at the principle that broadcasters bore special responsibilities to ensure democratic discourse. It was all nonsense, said Fowler. “The perception of broadcasters as community trustees should be replaced by a view of broadcasters as marketplace participants.”
Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine: I'd Rather Have Debate Than Ranting-and-Raving Journalism | HuffPost
Mod edit: IM2 Do not post the entire article. Only an excerpt, please.
Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine: I’d Rather Have Debate Than Ranting-and-Raving Journalism
By Nancy Graham Holm
When it comes to influencing public opinion, broadcasting has been the single most powerful force in American society since the turn of the 20th century, but especially since 1987.
Why 1987?
Because that’s the year American society lost accountability for one-sided opinions spread over the airwaves. More specifically, August 1987 is when American broadcasting lost The Fairness Doctrine, an FCC regulation that required owners of broadcast licenses to present both sides of controversial issues considered to be in the public interest.
Failure to comply risked a challenge to the owner’s license.
The abolition of The Fairness Doctrine had many opponents but they lost to the Reagan Revolution anti-regulatory extremists. Reagan’s new FCC chair, Mark S. Fowler, sneered at the principle that broadcasters bore special responsibilities to ensure democratic discourse. It was all nonsense, said Fowler. “The perception of broadcasters as community trustees should be replaced by a view of broadcasters as marketplace participants.”
Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine: I'd Rather Have Debate Than Ranting-and-Raving Journalism | HuffPost
Mod edit: IM2 Do not post the entire article. Only an excerpt, please.
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