More on the FD

[Dan Billings]

And what happened if the station refused?

The station faced government action.

That is the government judging speech.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Halper" <dlh@donnahalper.com>
To: "Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>; "Garrett Wollman" 
<wollman@bimajority.org>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: More on the FD


> Oh dear.  That's not how the FD was applied.  News was expected to be 
> neutral and based on facts.  Commentary was allowed, but it had to be 
> identified as commentary. And commentary could not contain slanderous 
> personal attacks.  If a commentator said something a member of the public 
> disagreed with, that listener could write to the station or call in during 
> a talk show.  And even enough people complained, then a responsible 
> spokespeople who wanted to respond to an editorial or a commentary was 
> supposed to be given time to express that opposing view.