What would happen if broadcasters were required to tell the truth on air?

[BushOut06]

Just curious, would there be any possible way to require broadcasters to tell the truth when broadcasting over public airwaves? It seems outrageous that gasbags like Slimebaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Savage, Boortz, etc can get away with telling outright lies and spreading right-wing propaganda with nothing to keep them in check whatsoever. Especially with another election year coming up, it's only a matter of time before they start trotting out some Swiftboat campaign to spread vicious lies about whoever the Democratic candidate is.

[MADem]

1. What is 'truth' really, though?

Is truth what you honestly believe is fact?

Or is truth in fact, fact?

A lot of Americans believed a lot of things to be TRUE once that turned out not to be true.

[BushOut06]

4. Something that can be backed up

For instance, when these gasbags claim that global warming isn't real, that's a lie - there is irrefutable scientific evidence showing that it's happening. Or when they start telling lies about various Democrats, like they did to John Kerry in '04.

[MADem]

8. So, we have to wait until the "definitive science" is in to hear debate?

Who's gonna enforce it, anyway? If a rightwinger in charge of the Truth Squad assigns a rightwing arbiter to the job who says that the Swiftboaters are telling the "truth" then how do you fight that?

Best bet--when the Tee Vee spouts bullshit, find out what the email addresss is for the network, or the show producer, send them off a quick BULLSHIT blast, and then, pick up that remote and VOTE with it.

That's what I do.

[rwheeler31]

5. Why did a lot of Americans accept lies?

[MADem]

9. Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Not everyone has the brainpower of a rocket scientist

unfortunately.

There are a lot of "morans" in the world.

[rwheeler31]

15. You the press told the lies.

[MADem]

16. Vote with your remote. You'll be happier. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. The 1932 Telecomunications Act sort of did

since all had to be for the common good.

But we all know what happened in 1996 when Clinton finished the job started by Reagan.

Why I despise neoliberals... don't care for the "political stripe."

[Selatius]

11. Wait until election time when you're told you either vote for the neoliberal D or hand victory to R

The two-party system forces you into voting against your interests. You're almost better off not voting, which might partially but not entirely explain the high rates of non-voting in America.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. There are many things that need to be done to reform the system

and the two entrenched parites will do all they can to keep the system as is thank you very much... and we both know it

But part of the problem you see it right now.

Vote your conscience in the primaries, vote your class.

But my candidate has no chance so I will vote for lesser of two evils...

And then we hear the crying...

To the primaries I will vote my class... in the general I don't make any promises at this point since lesser of two evilism has gotten us here

[sakabatou]

3. Hmmm

:popcorn:

[pscot]

6. They would shit all over themselves

and roll in it.

[Blaze Diem]

7. Fox News 's Heads would explode.

They could not tell the truth.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. My TV would blow up.

[stellanoir]

12. Massive spontaneous human combustion would occur.

We've been lied to by the disingenuous corporate mouthpieces for so long.

It would be weird to hear the truth.

[Blashyrkh]

14. The implosion of the universe...

...due to the increased gravity associated with the best part of 6 billion brains actually working.

[silverojo]

17. Imagine Bill O'Reilly's contribution:

"I'm a nauseating, ugly, splotchy piece of human garbage who has never spoken a true word until right this minute."

:rofl: