Would an Obama administration see the return of the FCC's fairness doctrine?

[Unsane]

The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that required the holders of broadcast licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was (in the FCC's view) honest, equitable, and balanced. The United States Supreme Court has upheld the Commission's general right to enforce such a policy where channels are limited, but the courts have generally not considered that the FCC is obliged to do so. The FCC has since withdrawn the Fairness Doctrine, prompting some to urge its reintroduction through either Commission policy or Congressional legislation.

more....

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

Why didn't Clinton appoint a pro-fairness doctrine FCC commish during his term?

[Newsjock]

1. Doubtful, and it's practically irrelevant now anyway

The FCC has no jurisdiction over cable or satellite broadcasting. No "fairness doctrine" would apply to Fox News Channel -- or, for that matter, MSNBC, LinkTV, or Howard Stern's channel.

[gateley]

2. I would like to think so. nt

[scheming daemons]

3. Obama himself said NO. He's a constitutional scholar and knows that the fairness doctrine is

not constitutional.


If our ideas are better, we'll win in the marketplace, because people will want to hear them and stations will get better ratings by airing them.

[Unsane]

6. Even though the SCOTUS has pretty much said it IS constitutional?

[BrklynLiberal]

4. That would be such a nice idea....

[anonymous171]

5. SO EVERY SHOW WILL BE LIKE HANNITY AND COLMES!

Ending media consolidation would be a better idea.

[babylonsister]

7. Pls. delete/dupe. nt

[babylonsister]

8. This could shake things up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7020422

Tech Czar Might Rule Policy Under Obama

This has the potential to be fantastic news.

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008


An administration run by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would likely create a national technology czar with broad authority to develop policy, elevating high-tech issues to the cabinet level in a major recalibration of the government's approach to regulating the communications sector.

The move would have substantial implications for the FCC, an independent agency that could be answerable to a new layer of bureaucracy or bolstered by it, depending on political circumstances.

The plan is being floated by the Democratic presidential nominee's top tech-minded advisers and supporters, including FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, widely viewed as a contender to run the agency if Obama is elected.

"There's a need for a single source at a White House level to coordinate technology policy across different agencies," Adelstein told CongressDaily late last month after a speech in Denver at the Democratic National Convention.

"They're extremely serious about it," he said of the Obama team, describing the proposal as a "fundamental tenet" of the Democratic nominee's tech agenda.

more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/cda_20080910_6421.php

[zbdent]

9. What President Obama will see is

a return of "investigative reporting" ... or, to be more precise ... a press that is willing to actually question a President's press releases ...

In fact, he will find a very hostile "press" ... the Obama "love fest" that people were playing up ended when Hillary bowed out ...