Blocking the Return of the Fairness Doctrine & Protecting the First Amendment

Blocking the Fairness Doctrine & Protecting the First Amendment . . . that’s the subject of this Big B File.

      In the Big B File from April 1, 2007 entitled The Far Left Secular Progressives, the Democrats, and the Fairness Doctrine, I told you about the effort by Far left Secular-Progressives to bring back the Fairness Doctrine for Radio only. Led by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and Senators Dick Durbin, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Dianne Feinstein. . . this was an effort to silence the traditionalists, conservatives, Christian and others who expose and block the far left S-P agenda for what it is. This effort is, by far, the most chilling assault on th e first amendment and the free market of ideals since the Fairness Doctrine was done away with back in 1987 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) itself. It is a rare thing when Conservatives and traditionalists who join with Liberals to oppose a piece of legislation such as House Resolution (H.R.) 501. 
Such is the case with Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes of the Fox News Channel (FNC) program Hannity & Colmes. Hannity is the conservative and Alan is the Liberal with a few S-P views, but for the most part is a traditionalist . . . and yet they both agree that bringing back the Fairness Doctrine is the worst idea in a long time to come from Congress.
However, there are three pieces of Legislation that are working their way through Congress which would put the brakes on the effort by Dick Durbin and his Far Left S-P pals to bring back the Fairness Doctrine for years to come. House Resolution (H.R.) 2905 (sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana {a former Radio Talk Show Host} and 121 others), Senate Bills (S.B. 1742 {sponsored by Sen. John Thune of Oklahoma & seven others}, and S.B. 1748 {sponsored by Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota & 32 others}) . . . and all three entitled the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007 . . . would insert section 303A to Section 3030 of Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303), which would add the following text:

SEC. 303A. LIMITATION ON GENERAL POWERS: FAIRNESS DOCTRINE.
`Notwithstanding section 303 or any other provision of this Act or any other Act authorizing the Commission to prescribe rules, regulations, policies, doctrines, standards, or other requirements, the Commission shall not have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the purpose or effect of reinstating or repromulgating (in whole or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the `Fairness Doctrine', as repealed in General Fairness Doctrine Obligations of Broadcast Licenses, 50 Fed. Reg. 35418 (1985).'.

      Rep. Mike Pence, the Chief sponsor of the House Resolution, basically felt that his amendment that passed the house was temporary and would not any future president after George W. Bush from having the FCC reinstate the Fairness Doctrine at any time in the future. This is what Rep. Pence said after his amendment was passed 308 to 115:

      "Today the House of Representatives affirmed that freedom will continue to reign on the airwaves of America. Thanks to the support of 308 of my colleagues, Congress has ensured that the Fairness Doctrine will remain in the grave for now. This was a resounding victory for free speech.
However, the fight for freedom on the American airwaves is not over. With many still hoping to resurrect this archaic doctrine of unfairness, we must continue to stay on the offense. Tonight I will introduce the ‘Broadcaster Freedom Act’ to ensure that the victory we experienced on the House floor today extends to future generations.
I thank all my colleagues, especially the Republican leadership in the House for delivering this resounding victory for the freedom of speech."

- Representative Mike Pence of Indiana
June 28, 2007

      All of the ‘evidence’ cited in H.R. 501 from 2005 seems to come from one place . . . Far Left S-P groups such as Media Matters for America and Democracy Radio. Not a single word from the same groups about bringing back the fairness Doctrine to the Television Airwaves, newspapers, magazines, and other media outlets (non-radio or internet). Wondering why that is the case? It is because the far left S-Ps are in total control and domination of the same media and TV outlets I mentioned in the last sentence and has been the case for decades?  The Answer is a resounding yes.
Isn’t it ironic that the far left S-Ps want to silence the same medium that as recent as the late 1980's had written off for dead? Fed up with the far left S-Ps’ domination of the TV airwaves and the media outlets, conservatives and Christians...beginning with Rush Limbaugh in 1989...decided to take a chance with hosting talk shows on AM Radio and see if people would gravitate toward it as an alternative to the media bias of the Ancient Media at the time ( which still exists to this day) and to a traditional and conservative point of view.
And boy have they! Many more people listen to talk show hosts who are conservatives and Christians and a few traditionalist Liberals (like Alan Colmes) than they do to far left S-P talk show hosts and the evening news anchors on the big three broadcast networks combined.
Just look at Rush Limbaugh, who, according to Premier Radio Networks, is heard by approximately 20 million people each week on nearly 600 stations and has been the number one talk show for at least the past decade...and the people decided, not the government bureaucrats (including the activist Far Left S-P Judges). This is why the Big B Files recommends one of the following options. .

1. Pass House Resolution (H.R.) 2905 (sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana {a former Radio Talk Show Host} and 121 others) without any changes or amendments & do it ASAP. Besides, Harry Reid & Nancy Pelosi have illustrated for us on how to do it already.
2. Combine Senate Bills (S.B. 1742 (sponsored by Sen. John Thune of Oklahoma & seven others), and S.B. 1748 (sponsored by Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota & 32 others) and get the combined bill passed through the senate ASAP.
3. Send the combined Senate Bills and H.R. 2905 to the House-Senate Conference Committee. This should be a piece of cake since the Senate Bills and H.R. 2905 are exactly the same . . . word for word. . . except for whom the sponsors of the Bill and the bill numbers are. The resulting legislation should be passed as soon as possible (ASAP) and signed into law by President Bush the very minute he receives it.  

     They could also withdraw two of the three pieces of legislation and get the remaining bill passed and signed into law ASAP because the first amendment and the only public forum for all people (outside of the internet) who are traditionalists to have a voice on issues of importance are at stake like never before.
Remember the uproar of the Immigration Reform Act Bills (S.B. 1348 & S.B. 1639). Would that have ever happened if the Fairness Doctrine had been effect at the time? The answer is of course not...talk radio and Christian radio would never have existed if the fairness doctrine had been in effect while the Immigration Reform Act Bills were being debated in the U.S. Senate.
And that is the Big B Files. Click on the "Comments" Link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing.