A few days ago I heard about the fairness doctrine. Since I didn't know much about it I did some research on it to learn more. The fairness doctrine is used to make radio stations equal. For example if a republican talks on the radio about his views for an hour then a democrat must get equal time on the same station.
The Fairness Doctrine brings up a few questions that makes it harder to see why it would be so great. These are a few questions that I have not seen answered:
1.
Who decides when a radio station is unfair?2.
What is defined as fair?Another interesting thing I found was this:
"There are many misconceptions about the Fairness Doctrine. For instance, it did not require that each program be internally balanced, nor did it mandate equal time for opposing points of view. And it didn’t require that the balance of a station’s program lineup be anything like 50/50."
I think this could go either way, democrates could take up more time on a radio station or a republican could.
On last thing I want to bring up about the fairness doctrine is the first amendment. I have heard many comments on how it violates the first amendment.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
What are you're thoughts on it? Does it affect the first amendment? And is there any other information I might have missed?
Sources:
1st AmendmentFairness Doctrine HistoryFairness Doctrine: How we lost it and why we need it backWhy the Fairness Doctrine is anything but fair