Sen. Jim DeMint
The US Senate passed an amendment 87-11 Thursday that bans the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from re-implementing the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” on public broadcasting airways, but the fight is far from over.
The amendment was written by Republican Senator Jim DeMint, who attached his Broadcaster’s Freedom Act to a bill giving the District of Columbia a voting representative in the House.
The life of this amendment now hinges on whether or not the Disctrict of Columbia will get a congressional representative. However, it does show a clear indication that the Senate is dead-set against re-introducing The Fairness Doctrine. Barack Obama has repeatedly expressed his own opposition to re-introducing the Doctrine.
Sen. Dick Durbin
Another interesting development regarding the issue of “fairness” on America’s public airways came from Democrat Party Senator Dick Durbin, who won approval for an alternate amendment that would order the FCC to encourage radio ownership “diversity.” The measure passed by a vote of 57-to-41.
A DeMint aide said Durbin’s measure will “impose the Fairness Doctrine through the back door by trying to break up radio ownership.”
The aide called the Durbin proposal “an attempt to break up companies like Clear Channel and hurt their syndications and therefore putting many local radio stations out of business that depend on those syndicated shows for revenue.”
Additionally, “Hate” Speech legislation is still making its way through Congress.
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The fight is over , Obama is opposed to the plan. It's dead… Errrrr sort of.
However, what they (the FCC) could do is mandate FCC rules that do not require the congress or president to pass. Don't worry, it won't affect shortwave radio, almost no one but myself listens to shortwave in the first place.
Finally.
Something ridiculous didn't go through.
One in a row!
How is it that both of those amendments managed to pass? Are those politicians not reading what they're voting for again?