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The Best Censorship Weapon of All |
UPDATE: Nationally syndicated radio talk show host Mark Levin read this piece in nearly its entirety last night. His on-air stylings can be found here.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a new "Chief Diversity Officer," communications attorney Mark Lloyd.
But Doctor of Jurisprudence Lloyd is far more than merely a communications attorney. He was at one time a Senior Fellow at the uber-liberal Center for American Progress (CAP), for whom he co-wrote a June 2007 report entitled "The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio."
Which rails against the fact that the American people overwhelmingly prefer to listen to conservative (and Christian) talk radio rather than the liberal alternative, and suggests ways the federal government can remedy this free-market created "problem."
- Restore local and national caps on the ownership of commercial radio stations.
- Ensure greater local accountability over radio licensing.
- Require commercial owners who fail to abide by enforceable public interest obligations to pay a fee to support public broadcasting.
These last two get perilously close to the use of "localism" to silence conservative (and Christian) radio stations, about which we have been warning for quite some time.
"Localism" is a nebulous FCC regulatory requirement that radio stations must meet to get and keep their broadcast licenses. How it is defined and enforced is wide open to the interpretation of whomever is doing the enforcing. It can mean something benign like airing local public service announcements, or it can be used as a weapon by activists to punish, harangue and ultimately shut down stations they don't like.
In a follow-up essay to the CAP report entitled "Forget the Fairness Doctrine," Lloyd specifically instructs liberal activists to do the latter - use the "localism" requirement to harass conservative stations by filing complaints with the FCC. The FCC would then assess these stations fines, with the money going to (very liberal) public broadcasting.
Or worse - the FCC would rescind these stations' broadcast licenses. In other words, shut them up by shutting them down. Thus, as Lloyd says, no need for the mis-named "Fairness" Doctrine.
From Lloyd's piece:
To be fair, even some progressives are confused about the Fairness Doctrine. A recent news story reported that the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC for short, has asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to reintroduce the Fairness Doctrine—even as the same article reports on a speech to LULAC by ABC News correspondent John Quinones, who spoke of his work bringing to audiences a hard-earned perspective to the long-running immigration debate.
Quinones told the LULAC audience that he got his start because a San Antonio community organization threatened that if the stations didn't hire more Latinos, the group would go to the FCC and challenge their licenses. "Thank God for them," Quinones said. "I wouldn't be here."
Equal opportunity employment policies. Local engagement. License challenges. Nothing in there about the Fairness Doctrine.
"Community organizations" (run one would think by community organizers) threatening the licenses of stations with whom they do not agree politically.
Or making them pay hefty fines, which would be added to the public monies already being given to liberal public broadcasting.
The other part of our proposal that gets the dittoheads (i.e. Rush Limbaugh fans, meant here by Lloyd to more broadly refer to fans of all conservative talk) upset is our suggestion that the commercial radio station owners either play by the rules or pay. In other words, if they don’t want to be subject to local criticism of how they are meeting their license obligations, they should pay to support public broadcasters who will operate on behalf of the local community.
Lloyd's instructions to Leftist activists are clear: use the FCC to pummel conservative talk radio. With fines, or entirely out of existence.
And now Lloyd works for the FCC.
—Seton Motley is Director of Communications for the Media Research Center and Contributing Editor for NewsBusters.org.






















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
There is nothing these morons will leave untouched.
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 17:56 ET by JTPThere will be so much work to do to repair this nation come 2012.
"Live for yourself...there's no one else more worth living for.
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"- Rush--Anthem
I'm on a Mexican--woh, oh--Radio
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:14 ET by Anneke9When the Ministry of Political Correctness takes over radio, it will be time to go offshore. I'd be glad to cough up the dough for a satellite radio just to have the privilege of listening to Rush "live from the Bahamas."
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Camouflage conservative in Baghdad-by-the-Bay
The FCC has authority over
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 19:13 ET by Dan The Man 2The FCC has authority over all the airwaves including satelite transmissions. I dont put anything past Duh One and his cronies. Hiel Hussien
Foreign Satellites?
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 22:32 ET by Anneke9Does the U.S. government control the transmissions from satellites owned by other countries or entities (e.g., India, Russia, Al-Jazeera)? I ask because this would be interesting to know
Camouflage conservative in Baghdad-by-the-Bay
Really dont know, but
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 00:11 ET by Dan The Man 2Really dont know, but remember China restricts its people and information flow there. I am scared of Duh One and what he may be capable of.
Control
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 07:38 ET by ParagrouperBy international treaty, The United States controls transmissions emitting from transmitters located in the United States and its possesions; including uplinks to its satellites. They cannot control what is received from foreign satellites or other transmitters located outside of the United Stated or its possessions.
Maybe Radio Free American will take on a new meaning.
"Beware the fury of the patient man." - John Dryden
They can jam if technology
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 08:46 ET by Dan The Man 2They can jam if technology permits.
Re cross-border radio
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 09:02 ET by slickwillie2001Exactly poster. Cross-border radio stations do have their frequencies coordinated with the US by agreements, but only to ensure no interference on the clear stations. Stations across the border in Canada might be a problem, because they have a fascist CRTC there as bad as anything the democratics might want, but Mexico might be more friendly. Ships offshore outside the legal limit are another option.
The nice thing about AM is that it can cover a decent area if it's a full 50kw.
I wish I was in Tijuana,
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 23:22 ET by Scout FinchEating barbecued iguana. While listening to Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, and Beck w/o government interference.
Amen to that. We've got a
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 20:54 ET by SlyrrAmen to that. We've got a 'perfect storm' of radicals who have siezed control, and they're staffing all their radical friends and family in positions of power.
People will look back in these times in the future and the leftist politicians currently running the show will be a veritable rogues gallery just like Hitler and all his buddies were after WW2. Obama, Geitner, Reid, Pelosi, and each of these so-called 'czars' that they've put in charge of seizing control of every aspect of our lives....
We're looking at a collage of fascists who will be remembered in infamy as the politicians who took this country's prosperity and prominence in the world and destroyed it for their own selfish gain.
We have to cast them all out in 2010. But don't expect an easy battle. Obama and his thugs from Acorn will be standing at every voting station door with knives and guns, and shirts that read "Vote Democrat or ELSE".
Get ready people - these fascists will not give up their power without a fight, and they'd rather part with YOUR blood than their power....
I'm ready for 'em
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 21:13 ET by KellyRCome get some, filthy liberal Nazis
Red Democrats
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 06:18 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsNot only will ACORN be manipulating the vote, you will see the New Black Panthers, La Raza, SEIU, CPUSA, and other thugs and domestic terrorists working to keep the Red Democrats in power.
Love this t-shirt!
D
Write Congress and Senate and tell them what YOU think!
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
'E Pluribus Unum' "Out of many, one".
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 17:58 ET by Retired GeekDiversity is a word that has been redefined in modern America.
The etymology of the word 'Diverse' dates back to the 14th Century and its original meaning was distinct and unlike elements.
The word diversity now means 'Unity' by remaining 'Diverse'.
The American motto is 'E Pluribus Unum' which describes an action: Many uniting into one. An accurate translation of the motto is "Out of many, one".
This 'Assimilation' of Diversity into unity, creates individual American Citizens united as one American Nation.
The 'Founders of America' thought that Individual Citizens could then pursue their own Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (self-determination) and allow the same Freedom to every other Individual American Citizen to do the same.
The essence of 'Collectivism' is to deny Individualism and only 'Collectives' then could pursue these goals as groups, thus effectively Denying Individual 'Rights and Protections'.
By definition, Collectivism is the political principle of centralized social and economic control, especially of all means of production.
Groups that subscribe to collectivism include Marxism, Communism, Socialism, Fascism, Nazism and modern day American Liberalism.
Diversity (NO assimilation) is an attempt to redefine our Motto and the original purpose of our Founders.
'E Pluribus Unum' as now redefined by Liberalism is 'Out of One, many'.
The word diversity now
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:12 ET by motherbeltThe word diversity now means 'Unity' by remaining 'Diverse'.
LOL....you've got that right!
Bizarro-speak.
Require commercial owners who fail to abide by enforceable
public interest obligations to pay a fee to support public broadcasting.
And let me guess WHO is going to decide what is in the "public interest".....
Newspeak
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:16 ET by 10ksnookerThe language of the tyrants of Oceania.
The American people must
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:25 ET by R D HelmThe American people must rise up and stop this bullsh*t before it even gets started.
-Dave
Proud member of the MOB:
Must
Oust
Barry
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:29 ET by jessieHWell, on behalf of the local community, I believe in FREE SPEECH! I can change the channel if I don't like the program. Just like I do when I see Waxman, Boxer, Pelosi, Frank, Dodd, Reid, McCaskill, ect,ect.,on my tv. If I want to be lied to, I'll hire a prostitute! At least when they lie, I know they are lying. With the govt., all you get is SCREWED! Angry Mob!
We are screwed
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:31 ET by maxvoltHow did we allow F"n Communists to infiltrate us people? Honestly this is not allowable...we must take this nation back or we will perish..my God what have we done...
We voted for them
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:43 ET by 10ksnookerOf course the state run media supplied the trojan horse.
whats this we crap?
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 19:36 ET by spmcintyre...how about we have a recall vote on Senator/Congressperson so and so....
When are we ever going to learn? Obama means to RULE.
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:41 ET by TailgunnerObama will never stop his attempts to rule unimpeded by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights or anything else.
Never.
Obama considers American Citizens as enemies and anything he ever does is done with that in mind.
If he can't persuade (and he's rapidly losing the ability to do that) he's perfectly willing to use the armed force of government to ram it down our throat.
When Obama realizes his silver (and forked) tongue doesn't work anymore...we're in real trouble from that point on.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Yep rule
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 19:42 ET by 10ksnookerNot govern.
And the mechanism is -- SLAVERY BY DEBT SO LARGE IT CAN NEVER BE REPAID.
ACORN
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:42 ET by 10ksnookerDoing to radio what they did to the banks.
I geuss they wouldn't mind if we harrassed the liberal stations, the foreign language stations.
We are all community organizer now.
Black Gospel music
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 21:15 ET by sevenHow about 3 hours a day on NPR?
See if they want diversity, religious and soul music would help in two ways. I see opporunity here.
How about Focus on The Family for an hour right after Olberman?
I see opportunity here.
What they're doing
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:52 ET by FeynmanFanWhat they're doing is laying the foundation for thought control by forcing their way into the media and marginalizing people who don't think the way they want them to think. We're in for a rough ride if this doesn't get turned around next year.
ah who didn't see this coming?
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 18:59 ET by katainkentTalk radio - regulated to death.
congress? we don need no stinkin congress.
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"The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" - HR 3200 (Health Care Bill) Pg. 203. Ln 14 & 15
Mike Malloy and the structural imbalance of ...
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 20:58 ET by Gary HallOh my...
No s---t shinola - have you listened to Mike Malloy, and the others on left wing talk radio?
It's a vile bunch and there is nothing of sort on the other side of the isle to balance it out.
(;~/ gary
Hey, Mark Lloyd
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 21:15 ET by KellyRKiss my ass - diversify that, ya bastard.
Every since the 1964 Civil
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 21:42 ET by mostlymoderateEvery since the 1964 Civil Rights Act, groups have abused the act to reverse-discriminate against white Christians. My question is when is enough enough? When do we start going back to a supply and demand-capitalistic society and stop trying to fill "quotas" in everything from college tuition, job placement, token appearances by minorities in television and movies even though the storyline doesn't call for it, radio broadcasting, government jobs, etc?
I am so sick of people demanding things based simply on their "race" or ethnicity. I think "race" has started to mean more to liberals now than it did 50 years ago. It is the ultimate trump-card to making demands.
Liberal Lawyers
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 23:25 ET by kilrodHaving already downed a few power drinks, she turned around, looked him straight in the eye and said, ‘Listen here good looking, I screw anybody, anytime, anywhere, your place, my place, in the car, front door, back door, on the ground, standing up, sitting down, naked or with clothes on, dirty, clean . . . it doesn't matter to me. I've been doing it ever since I got out of college and I just love it.'
Eyes now wide with interest, he responded,
'No kidding. I'm a lawyer too. What firm are you with?'
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
Control
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 01:14 ET by Seftonpublic interest obligations to pay a fee to support public broadcasting.
This reminds me of the Monty Python sketch where the mafiosos threaten the Army with extortion.
Obama's getting his cabal together to control every aspect of our once free society. He's not wasting any time either.
Thought Control Police
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 09:11 ET by Blogger Guy00001The FCC has become the Thought Control Police. It will be used under Obama to suppress free market thought and force people to think stalinist thoughts.
I continue to believe that this issue and the FCC itself...
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 10:29 ET by ThalpyI continue to believe that this issue and the FCC itself will make for an interesting Supreme Court case.
Intersting
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 13:03 ET by BigMike252"Quinones told the LULAC audience that he got his start because a San Antonio community organization threatened that if the stations didn't hire more Latinos, the group would go to the FCC and challenge their licenses."
What about your qualifications?
What are bringing to the table?
If you feel that you need to be rewarded a job b/c some Community Organization threatens someone, you deserve the job you get. Forget about making it on your own merit.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself and try to accomplish something on your own!
Obama Will Never Quit His Skulduggery
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 13:27 ET by rammingspeedObama is still trying to get under the legislative radar to strip the American public of its rights to listen to politically based radio programs. (If the programs happened to be left wing, then, no prob. But I digress.) Some say a new threat will emerge, which will require new energy and work by fans of Limbaugh, etc. This is another angle we'll have to watch and destroy (metaphorically.)
Tyranny
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 14:11 ET by ptsonControl of mass communication has been one of the first steps taken by every facsist government as it rose to power and used propaganda to demonize its opponets. NOW it is happening in the United States of America. This tryanny MUST be fought at every opportunity. If not, say good-bye to the LIBERTY that previous generations fought and died to achieve. Look your children and grand-children in the eyes as you lay down and roll over, OR get off you collective ass and FIGHT!
ptson... Hear!
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 14:13 ET by bigtimerptson...
Hear! Hear!
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Herr Olberfuerher Lloyd is another in a long line of BO's czars
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 16:26 ET by BO STINKS"The preservation of the sacred faith of liberty & the destiny of the republican model of gov't. are justly considered deeply...finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the American people."G. Washington's 1st inaugural address