Fairness Doctrine Nonsense

Newsbusters reports on a laughably inconsistent editorial in the Toledo Blade that calls fears of the return of the Fairness Doctrine a "straw man" and then calls for its return.

But inconsistency and distortion are the only consistent characteristics on the Left side of this argument. So it comes as no surprise that the Blade's editorial board thinks these two positions can hold together as complimentary ideas. In calling for a return of the Fairness Doctrine, The Blade now joins Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Sen. Tom Harkin, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Bill Clinton, Bill Press et al in support of this assault on free speech that the Blade dismisses as a "silly" conspiracy theory.

The Blade's editorial also regurgitates the usual left-wing talking points on this issue. Liberal radio failure is because "opposing opinions have been pushed out as radio conglomerates obtained a stranglehold on scarce broadcast licenses", says the Blade. They would have us believe that the money grubbing capitalists in charge of these publicly traded companies are ignoring their fiduciary responsibilities to share-holders by ignoring money making opportunities. Yeah. That makes sense.

The Blade also tells us that there are over 10,000 radio stations today and then complain that "in 2006 Clear Channel owned 1,190 radio stations, nearly four times as many as the next largest company, Cumulus Broadcasting, which owned 303. Along with Citadel Broadcasting, the number-three broadcast company at 225". That means those for-profit companies control about 17% of the market. Even if you were to believe The Blade's ridiculous Black-Listing theory, one wonders why liberal talkers can't make any inroads with the other 83%.

That's because other than in a handful of markets, liberal talk radio has been a failure, precisely because no one wants to listen to it. That's a fact they refuse to accept. Libs already have a near monopoly on other areas of the media as well as Hollywood and Academia And if they can't force you to listen to them on radio, then they will just destroy the whole medium.