Fairness Doctrine

[Richard Chonak]

I'm surprised at the suggestion that "no one ever complained that they 
were being stifled" under the Fairness Doctrine.

Back then, TV editorials actually had some influence, and it used to 
bother me that a station would air exactly one response to a given 
editorial.

While I, a young person in those Pleistocene days, did not actually 
complain, I did think that the system stifled debate, as if there were 
only two conceivable opinions on the subject deserving to be heard. I 
doubt that's true of any political question.

Furthermore, the response slot sometimes went to a community spokesman 
who merely concurred with and amplified the station's editorial 
position, resulting in no expression of contrary views.

--RC