House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) sent a letter to the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday urging him to drop recent proposals which amount to "a sweeping takeover by Washington bureaucrats of broadcast media."
In his correspondence, Boehner claimed the "proposals and recommendations for Commission action contained in the NPR amount to the stealth enactment of the Fairness Doctrine, a policy designed to squelch the free speech and free expression of specifically targeted audiences."
What follows is the complete text of this letter which should be of particular interest to all Americans in favor of free speech on the airwaves (emphasis added, file photo):
June 11, 2008The Honorable Kevin J. Martin
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW, Suite 844
Washington, DC 20554Re: Report on Broadcast Localism and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MB Docket No. 04-233
Dear Chairman Martin:
Under the rubric of "broadcast localism" it is clear the Commission is proposing no less than a sweeping takeover by Washington bureaucrats of broadcast media. The proposals and recommendations for Commission action contained in the NPR amount to the stealth enactment of the Fairness Doctrine, a policy designed to squelch the free speech and free expression of specifically targeted audiences.
Forcing licensees to recreate so called "advisory boards" of a by-gone era will encumber broadcast media with onerous bureaucratic burdens not faced by cable, satellite, or Internet. The report's assertion these boards would help stations "determine the needs and interests of their communities" or promote "localism and diversity" borders on fantasy. The recreation of pre-1980s advisory boards will place broadcast media squarely on a path toward rationed speech.
Two other proposed rules completely disregard a generation of technological and media advancement. Both the Main Studio Rule and rules regulating the physical operation of stations suggest the Commission has apparently decided to regulate broadcast media based on the needs of 1934 (the year FCC was created) instead of the proven realities of 2008.
Licensees and stations should serve the needs of local citizens. But adding more restrictions and Washington mandates is retrograde considering the constant technological evolution of the media market. I urge the Commission to rescind these proposed rules.
Sincerely,
John Boehner
Republican Leader
Member of Congress
It should be very interesting to see where this matter goes in the coming months. Stay tuned.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I'm sure the ACLU . . .
June 13, 2008 - 14:06 ET by WingletDriverwill file an amicus curiae brief on behalf of protecting free speech rights.
Why don't Republican "leaders" consider
June 13, 2008 - 14:14 ET by sarcasmoGetting rid of the corrupt, hyperexpensive white elephant? They seem to want another law instead, as if that will solve the recurring problem. It won't.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
when do we start flying the Hammer and Sickle?
June 13, 2008 - 14:33 ET by wizardjrThis country is so screwed. Day after day the socialists, fascists, and other power seekers take over more and more of our lives. This is just one more attempt to make us listen to 'correct' radio. Nanny knows best.
Just a question ...
June 13, 2008 - 14:39 ET by CPT_ClawIn no way meant to minimize the hideous threat of the fairness doctrine, but I am just wondering what the alternatives are if it returns ... it would not affect internet streams, would it? What about Satellite Radio?
Neither alternative is ideal, but it would afford alternative outlets to the chilling affect the Doctrine would have.
Wow, I heard about this on
June 13, 2008 - 14:53 ET by bigtimerWow, I heard about this on Rush a bit ago...worrisome indeed.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson
I'll bet you
June 13, 2008 - 15:11 ET by okiehawk44McCain is for it.
o44... Yep. From what I
June 13, 2008 - 15:46 ET by bigtimero44...
Yep.
From what I have seen of other different hearings you are correct....but he'll apologize later.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson
GOOD JOB BOEHNER
June 13, 2008 - 15:16 ET by SickofLibs"We oughtta get ridda dem dere internets, too, I reckon." – Slingblade
Goll Dab It!
June 13, 2008 - 15:39 ET by Logic over emotionLeave my tawkey box alone!
George Orwell would be proud
June 13, 2008 - 16:00 ET by demobaterGeorge Orwell would be proud. Shut down any speech that conflicts with the "State" Today talk radio, tommorow cable/satellite and then onto the net.
Elect the Black Marxist and you will understand what a uniter he really is, united to stamp out christians, conservatives and free thrinkers.
Capitilism, we don't need no stinkin capitalism
Orwell was only off by about 25 years
Background on Boehner's letter
June 13, 2008 - 17:22 ET by nkviking75Boehner is talking about a proposed regulation requiring "localism" in radio and mandating "advisory boards" from the community to consult on local needs and issues. It would be a foot in the door for the FCC to dictate the type of programming carried by radio stations. For more info check out my forum posting on localism from January.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Broadcast media is regulated
June 13, 2008 - 17:25 ET by Lacus OdiiBroadcast media is regulated because the airwaves are owned by the public while cable, satellite and Internet are not. The fact that there are alternatives doesn't change this. The fairness doctrine is still a terrible idea, but it wouldn't be so much of an issue if licensing as practiced really did serve the interests of the communities. It does not.
IMO it's an electronic "tragedy of the commons."
June 13, 2008 - 17:36 ET by sarcasmoImagine how much better private property rights would work with spectrum. CATO has much more on this issue. In this sea of red ink, it's a fiscally conservative idea.
People would call it "chaos," but free marketplaces often look that way when they're emerging from central control, and entities of government would still be able to own their own frequencies as they do today. But if we can somehow fully dismantle & defund the FCC, future generations will be spared this endless fight against arbitrary "fairness" or to define "decency." At least, that's my goal.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
If you could supply some
June 13, 2008 - 18:29 ET by Lacus OdiiIf you could supply some links I'd love to read them. I personally find it doubtful that you could commodify radio waves in any way that would work due to the unique characteristics of the medium. The body of property law that would evolve from lawsuits to deal with the amazing number of externalities inherent in radio would dwarf today's body of FCC regulations. But I would love to hear some different opinions.
This link is a good place to start
June 14, 2008 - 08:14 ET by sarcasmoFrom CATO, of course, but I'm curious. What exactly is it about spectrum's alleged many externalities (it's probably always going to be simple compared to real estate, IMO) which can't be handled by Federal Courts? Why do we need not just a Soviet style bureaucracy with its body of incomprehensible* "decency" regulations, but a specialty Bar (lawyer welfare program) built around the FCC's control-freakery, corruption, and whims?
JMR
* Howard Stern makes up a word at 10AM when most kids are in school? BAD. Oprah's hyper sexually explicit, way beyond anything Howard ever did (but minus the humor) at 3PM when kids are home? GOOD. Airwaves get literally filled with constant ads warning kids night & day about priapism, the dreaded 4-hour boner? GREAT -- after all, big pharma makes huge political donations compared to that insolent Howard Stern!!
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
WOW.........
June 13, 2008 - 19:32 ET by zoro7957..............very interesting. Boehner was a guest today on WLW's Mike Mconnel show. Ya should of heard him lambast the lib's energy policies. He let 'em have it with both barrels..............
If you don't like Rush, listen to Hannity.
June 13, 2008 - 22:43 ET by Biff McCainClear Channel and two other companies own 90% of the radio stations. If
you don't like Rush, listen to Hannity. What could be more fair?
Burn that mother down.
Why nothing Biffy...you're
June 13, 2008 - 22:47 ET by bigtimerWhy nothing Biffy...you're hanging in there so far I see...
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson
Two points here:
June 13, 2008 - 22:58 ET by R D Helm1) Do not think for a minute that there are not a large number of Republicans that will support such a takeover.
2) Boortz is going to have a field day with this come Monday.
Freinds, for those few of you who still value true freedom, it might be a really good time to calibrate your radars and pay really close attention to what is currently happening in this country, as it appears many rather nasty elements of totalitarianism are rapidly beginning to line up against us.
The truth is insensitive. - Neal Boortz
RD... I hear
June 13, 2008 - 23:01 ET by Clear thinkerRD...
I hear ya!
Problem is.... there are too few of us that give a damn.
Every day I ask myself "what to do, what to do?".
"Abstain from McCain"
Ct,
June 13, 2008 - 23:39 ET by R D Helm... there are too few of us that give a damn.
And therein lies the problem. By the time most people do realize what is happening, it will be much too late to reverse it.
I hate to sound like a paranoid alarmist here, but I am becoming somewhat disconcerted by what I have been seeing in recent years, particularly the last two:
Out-of-control energy prices that most Americans appear wholly ignorant to the true cause of (and which could easily be fixed), the fact that we are now borrowing huge sums from the Chinese just to give our own citizens tax rebates, the SCOTUS decision of yesterday, the continued successes of the Islamo-supremicists in most regions of the world, McCain's obvious economic illiteracy (damn depressing, that is), Obama's equivalent economic illiteracy, as well as his seeming inability to communicate effectively without a teleprompter in front of him (along with his 100+ other problems), a falling dollar, massive mounting debt in both the public and private sectors, job losses, inflation, sharply falling real estate prices, the apparent majority of Americans willing to turn our healthcare system over to the government, the apparent absence of real political leadership not just here, but the world over, and a whole host of other things I won't even bother to get into.
Historically, this kind of crap is what usually right swiftly results in totalitarian dictatorships.
It appears the "perfect storm" for such is beginning to form up for real, and most members of the dumbMasses are totally oblivious to it.
The truth is insensitive. - Neal Boortz