Williams Incident Makes the Case for Fairness Doctrine: To Sinclair

[NVMojo]

Rep. Slaughter to Sinclair: Williams Must Go

January 7, 2005

Washington, DC. Today, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and long-time advocate for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine, sent a letter to David D. Smith, Chief Executive of the Sinclair Broadcasting Group, and Johnathan Rodgers, Chief Executive of TV ONE, demanding that their contracts with syndicated broadcaster Armstrong Williams be terminated immediately.

As reported in today’s USA Today, Williams was allegedly paid $240,000 by the Bush Administration to discuss the No Child Left Behind program in a favorable light as a regular part of his radio and television broadcasts on stations owned by the two broadcast groups.

Slaughter noted in her letter that if the Fairness Doctrine were still in place, this type of deception would not be possible. The Federal Communications Commission repealed the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, which required radio and television stations to air all sides of important or controversial issues.

Because the American people own the airwaves, Slaughter reminded the broadcasters of their public interest obligations to provide diverse and balanced views on critical issues. She also pointed out that broadcasters could be found in violation of federal law if they fail to disclose such payments.

more...



http://www.slaughter.house.gov/HoR/Louise/News/Press+Releases+By+Date/2005+Press+Releases/01-07-05.htm

[ClintonTyree]

1. Please, PLEASE............

put the fairness doctrine back in place. It was a colossal mistake to rescind it in the first place.
I know we'll never see it put back during Resluglican control, but sometime in the future, when sanity and Democrats rule the earth again, I hope it's reinstated.
Fairness to a Reslug is a foreign word, and they don't speak the language.

[Mel]

3. I second that PLEASE

and you have to ask yourself this if our media is 'liberal' then why with Republicans controlling all branches of government would they not want the fairness doctrine brought back? Their not screaming for it to happen tells me all I need to know.

A) they love being 'the supposed victims' of a 'liberal media'
B) they know damn well the media isn't liberal

The sword cuts both ways and we should pick this one up and swing it!
I'm glad to see that Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, saw this and struck, smart move.

The thing is if there are people/conservatives who truly in all honesty believe the media is 'liberal' they would be screaming for the fairness doctrine's return.

Is this not an issue that should bring people together not divide them? The thing is if the government of *Bush, can do it then a government of Oh say, Clinton, can do it.

I have to wonder, in all my years of listening and watching Conservatives actions do they all know deep down that they can't win on a fair playing field?

Or is it that the so called 'liberal media' mostly allows the kooks and Cons to have the loudest voice in the 'liberal media'? I would think that true Republicans would be rather embarrassed for who's allowed to speak in the 'liberal media' for them.

I personally think it's corporate elitists that allow this sham to continue on dividing us as a people that way we don't pay attention to them running off with our booty. Both sides that are not in the top 1% are still getting screwed in America.
Haa! haa! if you ask me both sides are being laughed at for being played for suckers and fools.

[blondeatlast]

6. Of course they know they can't win on a fair playing field, at least

the Radical Right Theocons can't.

The RRTs are crushing even the thoughtful traditional conservatives, who are seen as almost as much of an "enemy" as we on the Left. It's their way or the highway, and the talking points come straight out of the Heritage Foundation.

It's a very dark time for the nation.

[steelyboo]

16. no, it wasn't a mistake, it was intentional , Raygun knew exactly what he

was doing. My guess is the rethugs have had a hard-on to do that since Watergate. Raygun was their first chance. He waited until he was almost out to do it too, cut and run.

[blondeatlast]

2. YES. Precisely.

Is it just me, or is anyone else sensing a bit of a sea change?

Crossfire cancelled, this incident, the Sinclair suit (I thought the conservatives HATED torts?!)...

Edit: nominated for homepage. Something's happening out there, I feel it.

[AlbizuX]

5. i think we liberals

finally learned how to use the government, its agencies, and public pressure to effect change.

There's DEFINITELY been some tangible victories...let's continue it.

[baldguy]

4. Louise Slaughter is my Rep!

[Deadbolt04]

7. :-O

ouch...

[babsbunny]

8. Say Thanks!

You can Email Louise Slaughter and say Thanks!

[blondeatlast]

9. I have thanked her profusely. nt

[Q]

10. Shouldn't this be about more than the Fairness Doctrine?

It's a crime to misuse tax dollars for partisan political purposes. These funds came out of OUR pockets and should be returned to the treasury.

For hell sakes...it's illegal for record producers to pay radio stations to play their songs. Certainly it's illegal for a government to pay pundits to 'play' their message on the public 'airwaves'?

[prodigal_green]

15. OUR tax dollars!!

That was my first thought.

I'm sure there is a marketing, er, "public information" department to shill their crap. Why am I paying somebody to lie to me ('course that begs the whole question of government payroll, but you get what I mean).

Isn't there a law against bribing journalists? Was Novakula bribed too, to release the name of Valerie Plame?

[shuffnew]

17. And, how many more have WE paid for?

This should be treated and investigated as election campaign fraud (IHMO). My guess is that $240K fraudulently used (our tax dollars!) was flagrant on the Bush-Rove agenda and that this incident is a drop in the bucket! You are soooo right!!! This is certainly about much more than the "Fairness Doctrine" - this is no different than the other thugs (DeLay, et al) scamming for votes with illegally spent monies.

[LWolf]

11. I think the time is NOW.

Time to act, swiftly and decisively. Now is when we need all that unity I kept hearing about during the general election.

If we are ever going to separate America from the deathgrip the corporate/conservative right wing power players have her in, it has to start with the media. That's where America gets her information, and way too many Americans believe what the media tells them without holding them to any standards of fact or neutrality. In fact, many don't want factual, neutral news any more. They want it to be their pov, 24/7, over the airwaves, facts be damned.

The best first step, imo, is to bring the fairness doctrine back to the forefront of America's consciousness. This is the best opportunity we're going to get. The Williams incident has a trail of other media manipulations just over NCLB behind it; as a public school teacher, you'd better believe I want this exposed, aired, and cleansed, publicly. I'd like some truth about NCLB to reach the mainstream media.

But who really believes this technique was only used to promote the conservative/corporate education agenda? What else is out there to discover?

The time is NOW. Let's not wait four more years; we won't even have to pretend to have an election at that point.

At the least, a note of thanks to Slaughter, and an onslaught of letters to our own reps about the fairness doctrine, are in order.

[MadisonProgressive]

12. Sincalir and Armstrong! Sinclair IS ARMSTRONG!!

Where's Snowflake!!!

[rumpel]

13. Other Reps and Senators should support her, let's write them.

We need fair and balanced journalism and comments in MSM.

[troubleinwinter]

14. I emailed her my thanks and support, and

promised to contact my own senators and reps, too.