Battle lines are drawn over conservative radio

[rodeodance]

Source: The Hill

Battle lines are drawn over conservative radio
By Alexander Bolton
October 03, 2007

House Republicans are threatening to launch a discharge petition on legislation that would ensure the future prosperity of conservative radio talk-show hosts but is expected to face opposition from Democratic leaders. On Monday evening, Republicans filed a rule with the House Rules Committee laying the groundwork for a petition that would force action on protecting radio from government regulation later this fall.

The move comes at a time when Democrats have launched a coordinated attack on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, accusing him of disparaging American troops critical of the Iraq war as “phony soldiers.”

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has said broadcasters should be required to give listeners both sides of political issues so voters can make informed decisions.

Conservatives fear that forcing stations to make equal time for liberal talk radio would cut into profits so severely that radio executives would choose to scale back on conservative programming to avoid rising costs and interference from the government.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/battle-lines-are-drawn-over-conservative-radio-2007-10-03.html

[annabanana]

1. Now THIS is something that should not get out of committee. .

(let's watch)

[rodeodance]

3. it will-Dems are afraid of getting dissed by RW talk show "personalites"

[rodeodance]

2. >many Democrats are wary of angering politically influential radio personalities such as Limbaugh."

.....“If anyone ever doubted that there is enmity between Democrats and American talk radio, they need look no further than the personal attacks leveled on Rush Limbaugh on the floor of the Senate,” said Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the sponsor of legislation shielding broadcasters from government interference. “I thought it astonishing that members of the U.S. Senate would engage in repeated and distorted personal attacks on a private citizen. It gives evidence of a level of frustration with conservative talk radio that is very troubling to anyone who cherishes the medium.”

Pence, a former professional talk radio host, and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), a radio station owner, on Monday sent letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) demanding a vote on the Broadcaster Freedom Act.

In their letters, Pence and Walden cited broad support for their bill as well as a vote on an appropriations amendment earlier this year showing that many Democrats are wary of angering politically influential radio personalities such as Limbaugh. The Republican lawmakers gave Democratic leaders a deadline of the end of next week.

“Over 200 of our colleagues have joined us as co-sponsors of this important measure,” Pence and Walden wrote.

[CT_Progressive]

7. "The Republican lawmakers gave Democratic leaders a deadline of the end of next week."

Deadlines mean you're with the terrorists and want the US to lose.






What?
:)

[calimary]

11. Excuse me? The MINORITY is giving US a "deadline"?????

Excuse me???

It's not their position or their royal, imperial entitlement to give us deadlines about FUCKING ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[antiimperialist]

4. Implementing the Fairness Doctrine is even more important than withdrawing from Iraq

Why? Because media lies is what gets us into wars in the first place. If both sides of the issues are heard (or as many sides to a story as there can be), people would have enough information to distinguish between right and wrong.

[loudsue]

13. YES!!! You nailed it! Fairness Doctrine + paper ballots = DEMOCRACY!

With a fair & free media and no more electronic vote stealing machines, we could have elected Al Gore & John Kerry & never would have gone to Iraq to begin with.

:bounce: Tell it!! :applause:

:kick:

[BrklynLib at work]

14. That is EXACTLY what we need to re-instate....immediately.

[BridgeTheGap]

5. Hey, when did propaganda become illegal?

A concerted effort should be made to call into shows such as Limbaugh's and call them on their b.s.
Most people I know have no interest in even listening to this crap, but as long as they have a captive audience it's difficult to counter what they're doing.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. "executives would choose to scale back on conservative programming"

I don't see the problem?

[OnionPatch]

8. Wouldn't it mean

that stations like Air America would have to give equal time to the conservatives?

[dogfacedboy]

9. Actually, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

AAR could give some right-tard a 2 hour show. They wouldn't have to pay a high salary, as the right-tards would be chomping at the bit for the opportunity. During the course of this show, Progressives could call in and wreak havoc. I think it would be a very entertaining 2 hours.

[JMDEM]

10. I think this is serious stuff here...

Our media is already so ridiculously imbalanced. To get rid of even the idea that they have to be balanced is REALLY DANGEROUS.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

12. I am very much against this bill

it happens to favor Democrats and hurts conservatives NOW, but who is to say it will five years from now? You can accomplish the same goal and do even more good for the public by segmenting media markets, encouraging competition and rolling back the laws that allow major corporations to own such large percentages of radio and television stations in a local market. Rush and his ilk thrive for various reasons, but his main benefactors are ABC, Infinity, Sinclair, etc etc. You limit their ability to dominate and you will see "balance" restored to our airwaves.