May 5, 2009 08:50 PM

Broadcast Fairness Doctrine Could be Reinstated

The Federal Communications Commission has announced the roster of a new advisory committee on diversity in communications. This move appears designed to bring increased minority ownership and involvement in communications, which is designed to increase the number of "liberal" talk programs, and to establish government regulation of talk radio via a return to the "Fairness Doctrine", but under a new name. This committee will be meeting starting Thursday, May 7.

"Fairness Doctrine" type regulations would mandate that any station that airs a controversial issue must provide time for opposing views, even thought other stations and programs may already be providing those views.

Two bills have been introduced in Congress to block the FCC from implementing the Fairness Doctrine or or any similar control of broadcast speech. They are SB S-34 and HR 226.