The Fairness Doctrine Thread

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_Doctrine

(If wikipedia says it, it must be true!)

What are your thoughts on the fairness doctrine, it's repeal in the 1980's, the interest in reinstating it from people like John Kerry and Dick Durbin, and so on?

One thing I have gathered about it reading all over the place in books, magazines, and on the internet is the left seems more open to bringing it back than the right. My guess is this relates directly to how popular conservative radio and people like Rush Limbaugh became when this was repealed in the first place. I don't take it as any more than that, because I'd bet the right would be reacting the same way if liberal radio was more popular, but then again that's just a guess.

My overall thought on this is I think the fact this doctrine was ever passed is asinine and seems like a complete violation of the first amendment. I would hope this nonsense never comes back, and even if it does, how do you enforce it? How do you determine when somebody is reporting news and when somebody needs to make sure they present both sides of an argument in a balanced way because they gave too much of an opinion?

Edited September 5, 200817 yr by whitesoxfan101