FCC Officially Ends Fairness Doctrine

The Hill's Hillicon Valley:

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the elimination of 83 outdated and obsolete agency rules on Monday, including the controversial Fairness Doctrine.

"The elimination of the obsolete Fairness Doctrine regulations will remove an unnecessary distraction. As I have said, striking this from our books ensures there can be no mistake that what has long been a dead letter remains dead," Genachowski said in a statement.

Read the whole story: The Hill's Hillicon Valley

Comments

[realitybase]

09:09 AM on 08/26/2011

We will sink into the abyss of lies and deceit... no wait we're already there.

[MichaelMcKLA]

09:07 PM on 08/25/2011

I could see value in the Fairness Doctrine back when there were only three TV networks. It was to be sure no one entity had the broadcast information market cornered. Things have changed so radically since then there is no point to it anymore.

[SingingGuy]

04:22 PM on 08/25/2011

Yup! let's wipe out every last vestige of propriety and proportion from our electoral process. It sure is paying dividends. Just look at how well our government is functioning!

[BlackRabbit]

12:51 PM on 08/25/2011

This is good thing.

The Fairness Doctrine was a poor idea from the get-go, and an affront to freedom of the press. In today's world, with near-infinite bandwidth for broadcasting, any justification for it has long since disappeared. Citizens are fully capable can making up their own mind what they will watch, and do not need government controlling content.

I really don't get those who want to bring it back. I can only imagine that they harbor fantasies of reining in those broadcasters that they dislike. Such juvenile dreams of censorship need to be put to rest.

[jk10021]

05:38 PM on 08/25/2011

Perfectly said - couldn't agree more.

[holyghostie]

10:00 PM on 08/24/2011

How much did this cost Rupert?

[Tom Sutpen]

08:45 AM on 08/25/2011

Nothing. There's not a single entity in our commercial media that wanted the Fairness Doctrine.

After all, why do you think no broadcast outlet opposed its abolition?

[AGammaRaye]

08:21 PM on 08/24/2011

Not really on topic -but whatever happened to the LOUD commercials auto "sound kill switch" for those that blast me out of the room...wasn't that on the electeds radar ?????????

[fjm]

07:57 PM on 08/24/2011

The 2% that own 80% of the country also own the great american propaganda machine and do not want to be fair .

[nothingchanges]

11:42 AM on 08/24/2011

The United States has laws requiring "Truth in Advertising"..........for business.

They do not have such "Truth" laws for political adds, politicians, or so called Cable TV "News" programming.

Many today, have expressed the opinion that our government has become nearly totally dysfunctional.

I submit that the lack of "truth" in our political system in it's entirety, is largely to blame.

Too bad the only ones with the legal authority to correct the problem (Congress) owe their elections, to a system financed by legalized corruption.

The Foxes are in charge of the hen house (in more ways than one). Not too hard to see where that has led.

[Tom Sutpen]

08:47 AM on 08/25/2011

Do you know what the penalties are for violating Truth in Advertising guidelines?

[leggs67]

11:26 AM on 08/24/2011

Quite sad.

[William J Unverferth Sr]

06:24 AM on 08/24/2011

I guess that those that want the fairness doctrine don't care that it is unconstitutional. But who needs free speech anyway?

[Theatrixnyc]

09:06 AM on 08/24/2011

That's ok. It won't stop Murdoch's end. He's going down, with his criminal organization.

[Tom Sutpen]

08:48 AM on 08/25/2011

And Conan O'Brien was going to destroy his competition when his TBS show debuted.

You've got a great track record there, Mrs. Faversham.

[TheRealist1]

05:44 PM on 08/25/2011

To you, it is only free speech when the corps. are allowed to present their side while denying the opposing view air time.

[William J Unverferth Sr]

08:11 PM on 08/25/2011

Nope to the supreme court aka that the fairness doctrine is unconstitutional is the law of the land.

[InofTouch]

05:53 AM on 08/24/2011

If you like the Fairness Doctrine, then you must have like CNN's Crossfire.

[Tom Sutpen]

08:50 AM on 08/25/2011

Most advocates for the Fairness Doctrine never realized that it was rarely used for any purpose other than limiting the scope of permissible debate.

[rockyroad]

04:24 AM on 08/24/2011

Obama is oblivious to his situation and ours.

[rockyroad]

04:24 AM on 08/24/2011

As Obama preens before the Republicans who hate him and have as their sole aim, a desire to undermine him and to ensure his failure,

the Americans who voted for him continue to suffer, to lose their homes, their liberties and their hope.

America dies.

[rockyroad]

04:18 AM on 08/24/2011

Should have voted for Hillary.

[Tom Sutpen]

08:51 AM on 08/25/2011

Well, you can still vote Republican in the next election. It'll be the same thing.

[SingingGuy]

04:25 PM on 08/25/2011

Can I have whatever you're having?

[jk10021]

05:43 PM on 08/25/2011

I think the calls are going to keep getting louder for her to primary Obama. Maybe Obama will even decide not to run, although given his enormous ego that seems hard to believe. As each day goes by and the economy continues to struggle (some the fault of Obama's policies, some the fault of the length of time it takes to work through a balance sheet driven recession) his re-election chances just keep dropping. If Dems want to keep control of the WH, they might have to put someone else on the ticket. Will be a very interesting next 15 months for sure.

[rockyroad]

04:06 AM on 08/24/2011

As an independent who first became an Obama supporter in about 2005, I have finally had it.

Continuance of the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy, of the elimination of the estate tax; no prosecutions for torture, financial crimes, graft, etc.; immunity for the Bush Administration; dragging tail on repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell; no prosecutions for BP and energy producers generally; no shut down of offshore tax havens; no closure of corporate tax loopholes; Guantamo! holy smokes???? more torture, more abhorrent American military behavior; no end to two wars and expansion of both . . . and the death of the "Fairness Doctrine."

I quit.

[BlackRabbit]

03:49 PM on 08/25/2011

The Fairness Doctrine hasn't been in effect since the early 1980's, and likely would not pass a court challenge today. No sane leader would attempt to revive it. This is the right thing to do.