Schumer Comments Prompt New Fairness Doctrine Concerns

National Religious Broadcasters say his comments "foreshadowed an intolerance of ideas"
By John Eggerton
Broadcasting & Cable
11/5/2008

Comments by New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer have provided new urgency to talk radio's and others' concerns about the reimposition of the fairness doctrine under a Democrat-controlled government.

While President-elect Barack Obama has told B&C twice through a top aide that he has no interest in bringing the doctrine back, the same apparently cannot be said for other powerful Democrats including Schumer. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has not ruled it out, either.

In an interview on Fox that was getting radio airplay Wednesday, Schumer said that the same people who say the FCC should be able to regulate "pornography" on the air don't want it to intervene to promote fairness and balance, calling that inconsistent. The doctrine, jettisoned by the FCC in 1987 as unconstitutional, required broadcasters to air both sides of controversial issues. Its demise let to the rise of opinionated, conservative talkers like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. the rest