[BC] Fairness Doctrine

[Rich Wood]

------ At 12:41 AM 12/9/2006, Robert Meuser wrote: -------

>The government does not decide. It is balance. I think a station 
>would get better ratings running Rush and Al Franken back to back 
>than  either would being all conservative or all liberal. You guys 
>are blind to what real competition can achieve, please go back to your caves.

You know perfectly well there is no such thing as balance. On the air 
there's Rush's opinion and Franken's opinion. In real life no one 
else's opinion is exactly the same and deserves the same exposure as 
theirs. How do you determine whose opinions (plural) must be given 
time? First, the request will come to me as the Program Director, 
then it goes to legal to determine who is worthy, then I take it to 
the host with the huge ego and tell him or her we're taking time out 
of the show for a slew of opposing opinions. After that, those not 
considered worthy file FCC complaints and we'll be given 30 days to 
respond to defend our actions. Depending on the political/social 
leanings of the bureaucrats at the FCC we'll be given the choice of 
granting the time or helping pay off the deficit. With politics being 
what it is will we be required to give time to those who oppose those 
who oppose?

I don't know what your Talk programming experience is but mine tells 
me it would be the death of competition. We had the Fairness Doctrine 
and talk radio was a blip on the radar screen. The Doctrine went away 
and it became one of the most dominant formats in the industry. I 
really don't want a bunch of disinterested or politically motivated 
lawyers over my shoulder as I try and provide entertaining 
programming. The real problem here is that people give Talk Show 
hosts credit for having far more influence than they actually have. 
Rush Limbaugh was used by Bush #1 in his bid for reelection. It 
didn't work. Blowing hard for Republicans didn't do much good in the 
last election. Hastert's claim of innocence in a Limbaugh guest 
appearance didn't make the Foley problem go away.

As I've often said: anyone who takes the advice of a Talk Show host 
(usually not experts in the topics they blow hard about) may as well 
have a proctologist perform brain surgery. It's not an illogical 
suggestion since that's probably where their brains will be found. If 
I recall correctly, Hannity was a very purty and lucky construction 
worker (had to be purty for FOX). Schlessinger is neither a 
psychologist nor theologian yet gives advice on both. Will she be 
required to have opposing sadists on her show?

Rich