Thursday, June 28, 2007

Fairness sharmness

From UPI


WASHINGTON, June 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., said Sunday she is "looking at" the possibility of reviving the fairness doctrine for U.S. broadcasters.
Feinstein, speaking on "Fox News Sunday" with Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said talk radio in particular has presented a one-sided view of immigration reform legislation being considered by the Senate.

U.S. talk radio is dominated by conservative voices.

"This is a very complicated bill," said Feinstein. "Most people don't know what's in this bill. Therefore, to just have one or two things dramatized and taken out of context, such as the word amnesty -- we have a silent amnesty right now, but nobody goes into that. Nobody goes into the flaws of our broken system."

Feinstein said the measure before the Senate "fixes those flaws" but that doesn't get presented on talk radio, which she said "pushes people to ... extreme views without a lot of information."

Asked if she would revive the fairness doctrine, which used to require broadcasters to present competing sides of controversial issues, Feinstein said she was "looking at it."

"I remember when there was a fairness doctrine," she said, "and I think there was much more serious correct reporting to people."


What does that last sentence even mean? To begin with, are we talking about "news" or commentary? Certainly there are more straight news sources with a liberal bent (from local newspapers, to the New York Times, to CNN) than conservative ones. So, we are NOT talking about serious correct reporting, we are talking about commentary and pundits.

I have one response for you. Air America. Look, I'm really sorry it didn't work out, but you gave it the old college try. Perhaps liberals are simply not interested enough to make commercial radio profitable? Invading the conservative shows, forcing them to present a counterbalance, will only drive listeners from the airwaves, which I'm sure is part of the plan.

The real issue, is that before Rush, liberals owned the media. ALL the media. They could be sure that the radio hosts, the news reporters, the movie directors, the singers - EVERYONE- had a liberal bent. And now they simply cannot stand that conservatives have a few radio shows to listen to, and Fox News to watch. And, honestly, Fox News is not nearly as conservative as everyone claims. Brit Hume. He's the man.

Regardless, this move by liberals Senators reminds me of ... Chavez.