[BC] equal time controversy

[Rob Landry]

On Mon, 4 Jun 2012, Donna Halper wrote:

> ...Beyond whether you do or do not like Democrats (or Republicans, for 
> that matter), does radio still have a duty to present both sides of 
> major issues when a small group of corporate owners control all the 
> stations?

Does it? No; not since the Fairness Doctrine was abolished.

Should it? That's a different question.

I feel it should. Broadcasters are trustees of the public airwaves, and 
regardless of how many new media may come along, I feel the public 
airwaves should be equally accessible to a variety of viewpoints.

By way of explanation, let me offer the following analogy: your local town 
council is cash-strapped, so it votes to put a billboard on the roof of 
the town hall. It then leases that billboard to a comapany which decides 
that it will not accept ads opposing a large shopping mall that has been 
proposed for a piece of vacant land. It does, however, accept ads 
promoting the project. Since the billboard is on the town hall, which 
belongs to the people of the town, is it right that residents who oppose 
the shopping mall should be denied access to the billboard? I feel it 
should be equally accessible to all viewpoints, and I feel the same about 
radio.

Rob