FAIRNESS DOCTRINE? Not So Fast, Pelosi...

'Fairness Doctrine' an apparent no-go

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 7/17/2008

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is making it clear that he has no desire to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine," a controversial regulation that once required TV and radio stations to give equal airtime to opposing viewpoints on controversial subjects.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Kevin Martin has sent House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) a letter assuring him that he has "always been, and remain[s] strongly, opposed to the Fairness Doctrine." Martin also pointed out he has backed legislation that would have prohibited the FCC from reinstating the policy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) recently told reporters that she supported bringing back the Doctrine.

Penny Nance, a special adviser at the FCC, says it is important to remember that the Fairness Doctrine was in place when there were only three networks. "Chairman Martin strongly believes that, in this day and age when you have literally hundreds of channels with all varying viewpoints available, that that is an old, archaic, outdated policy that serves no purpose in today's market," she explains.

Chairman Martin, according to Nance, is supportive of legislation sponsored by Congressman Mike Pence (R-Indiana) that would permanently outlaw the use of the Fairness Doctrine. Nance contends the current five-member Commission lacks the votes necessary to reinstate the Doctrine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I guess Nancy Pelosi will have to find some other way (that doesn't include suppressing free speech) to garner support for her un-American activities.