Fairness Doctrine blocked by U.S. Senate

By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
During a press briefing on the fairness doctrine, Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said that,
“we can celebrate a victory of sorts today, after taking a message to the American people about radio censorship, the potential of muzzling radio talk show hosts. We were able to force a vote this week on the Broadcasters Freedom Act that would bar the FCC from bringing up what is misnamed the fairness doctrine.”

Democrats have offered an alternative to the bill which DeMint said, “closes the front door to the fairness doctrine, the democrat majority has opened the back door for additional mischief by allowing the FCC, and actually telling the FCC that they shall promote and encourage diversity and communication media.” The senator went on to state that, “right now the vote is going on on the floor , but because of the pressure from the American people, both parties are supporting the prohibition against this censorship of free speech and freedom of the press.”

Congressman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said that fairness doctrine needs to be stopped from coming back because we don’t need the FCC “becoming the nanny police for freedom of speech in America.” Walden said that together with Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.), he had a provision in the spending bill that “would have precluded the FCC from spending any money to put the fairness doctrine back in place.” However, this language was taken out when the omnibus passed in the house yesterday. Walden stated that he “calls on the House leadership to not strip the language” out of the senate bill.

Following today’s press briefing, the amendment passed by a large majority 87-11.