Petition: We Oppose the “Fairness Doctrine”

http://www.actforamerica.org/index.php/learn/recent-news

Could Brigitte Gabriel Ever
Be “Blacklisted” From the Media?

Please sign our petition to Congress today
http://tool.donation-net.net/entrance/enter.cfm?dn=1097&source=2010&id=40106&commid=11771784&CFID=6582280&CFTOKEN=93513205

Yes, we know such a question seems far-fetched. Surely in America, land of the free and home of the brave, we could never see such censorship in the media. Surely we could never see a time when media outlets would refuse to interview people who discuss so-called “controversial topics,” as Brigitte does.

Or could we? If Congress re-imposed the misnamed “Fairness Doctrine” and, in addition, mandated that all television and radio stations have “advisory boards” to ensure that community opinions and concerns are being met, such censorship could indeed occur.

What is the “Fairness Doctrine?” It was an FCC regulation that existed back in the day when there were only three television networks and a limited number of radio stations. The ostensible purpose of the Fairness Doctrine was to ensure that media outlets presented both sides of the story when they reported the news; in other words, to be “fair.”

The Fairness Doctrine was scrapped during the Reagan Administration, because it was deemed to be ineffective at best and an impediment to a free press at worst. The reason is that some media outlets would decide not to air a story about a controversial topic, or decide not to interview someone controversial, out of fear of running afoul of the Fairness Doctrine.

Recently we sent you an email that included a commentary in the American Spectator, which examined some of the ideas bouncing around the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman. One paragraph was particularly chilling:
One idea Waxman's committee staff is looking at is a congressionally mandated policy that would require all TV and radio stations to have in place "advisory boards" that would act as watchdogs to ensure "community needs and opinions" are given fair treatment. Reports from those advisory boards would be used for license renewals and summaries would be reviewed at least annually by FCC staff.
As we noted then:
It doesn’t take much imagination to see how such “advisory boards” would be on the front lines in enforcing political correctness – especially when it comes to the issue of Islam. Done, of course, in the name of providing “fair treatment” – or else lose your broadcast license.

If the Fairness Doctrine were revived, and with it anything that smacks of “advisory boards,” we’d be handing over the power to censor our TV and radio broadcasts to the Islamists who are intent on gagging all speech that dares to criticize Islam.
The Fairness Doctrine, or any version of it by another name, would be a powerful tool in the hands of organized Islamists. It would be unlikely they would demand “equal time”; most such offers to Islamic leaders by America’s leading critics of radical Islam are ignored by those Islamic leaders. They know they can’t defend the history and doctrines of Islam in a free marketplace of ideas, so they fight to suppress any public criticism of Islam. They’re doing it through the United Nations; they’re doing it through governments in Europe and the UK; and they will use the “Fairness Doctrine” to do it here.
This is why we must rise up and oppose the “Fairness Doctrine” and anything that smacks of it called by another name. With the advent of the internet there is no shortage of media and information outlets today, and thus, no shortage of diversity of opinion. Resurrecting the Fairness Doctrine will not produce “fairness” – it will be a hammer in the hands of the politically correct to shut down opposing viewpoints. This will be especially the case with the topic of Islam, because Islamists are so intent on using any means possible to silence public criticism.

So we call on you today to join with us in signing our petition that opposes the re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine. Please read the petition below, to affix your name to it,please click the link given above and then forward this email to everyone you know who is concerned about the threat of radical Islam to our freedom of speech. We will then deliver this petition to the appropriate Members of Congress to let them know that Americans across the political spectrum, from liberal to conservative, oppose the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine.
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We Oppose the “Fairness Doctrine”
We the undersigned call on Congress to reject a renewal of the misnamed “Fairness Doctrine,” or any variation of it that might be called by a different name.

We are especially concerned about reports that the House Energy and Commerce Committee is looking at ways to ensure “diversity” of opinion on the internet as well as the creation of “advisory boards” for television and radio stations, to ensure that “community needs and opinions” are given fair treatment.

Such proposals raise serious questions. Will the government begin to police the internet in the name of ensuring “diversity” of content? Will television and radio stations that encounter conflicts with their “advisory boards” find themselves hauled before government regulators and ordered to change their programming before their licenses are renewed? Will this lead to “advisory boards” pressuring television and radio stations to toe a “politically correct” line, with “advisory boards” exercising de facto veto power of what the stations broadcast?

We believe that efforts to re-impose the “Fairness Doctrine,” or any version of it called by another name, will not encourage “fairness” or more free speech, but will instead chill free speech as news and media outlets choose to simply avoid every topic that might cause them to offend a special interest group or run afoul of their “advisory boards” or government regulations.

We believe that diversity of speech and ideas in the media and on the internet is a hallmark of our First Amendment rights to free speech and a free press. It is clear to us that such diversity already exists, given the immense number of options any citizen now has to acquire news and information from a broad range of sources on television, radio, in print and online.

We believe that proposals to ensure “fairness” in the media and on the internet are in fact a “solution looking for a problem.” They are unnecessary at best, and destructive to the First Amendment at worst. We therefore oppose all such efforts to re-impose a “Fairness Doctrine” or a version of it by any other name.


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ACT for America
P.O. Box 12765
Pensacola, FL 32591
www.actforamerica.org

ACT for America is an issues advocacy organization dedicated to effectively organizing and mobilizing the most powerful grassroots citizen action network in America, a grassroots network committed to informed and coordinated civic action that will lead to public policies that promote America’s national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam. We are only as strong as our supporters, and your volunteer and financial support is essential to our success. Thank you for helping us make America safer and more secure.