Dennis & Callahan criticized for "election postponed" joke

[Sid Schweiger]

>>We lived with the so-called Fairness Doctrine a long time before it was
abolished and we did just fine.<<

...and it was effectively unenforceable.  Licensees that covered news with any regularity at all could always point to SOME programming they did that gave the "other" side its shot at airtime.

>>Somehow this has turned into a talking point for Republicans and right wing
talk radio.  I don't see the doom and gloom scenarios that people are
painting...as if the Fairness Doctrine would end all political speech.<<

As has already been mentioned:  Obama and most of the Democratic leadership are on record as opposing its return.  That's right, ON THE RECORD...something which some right-wing talk-show hosts appear to have trouble with and conveniently ignore when it suits them.

>>It should apply to NPR...but TV, Newspapers and Magazines are private
enterprises and do operate on the public spectrum, they own their own press,
ink and paper.  Radio is being granted a license to use the public airways.<<

Excuse me?  TV stations aren't licensed by the FCC?  When did this happen?

NPR is a network, not a station owner.  The FCC has no jurisdiction over networks unless they hold licenses.

>>No, it seems to want to address fairness....which is a noble thing.

Don't use the public airwaves to unfairly attack someone.<<

The last thing anyone should want is government as arbiter of either truth or fairness, because we've already seen where that leads...not in our country, but in others (Germany and Russia, to name just two).  Besides, there's this pesky little annoyance known as the First Amendment...


Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
WAAF/WEEI/WEEI-FM/WKAF
WMKK/WRKO/WVEI/WVEI-FM
WEEI Sports Radio Network
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040