Good News! Fairness Doctrine is Dead

Good News! Fairness Doctrine is Dead Eowyn | August 23, 2011 at 9:47 am | Tags: FCC, free speech, Julius Genachowski, Obama administration | Categories: Liberals, Media, United States | URL: http://wp.me/pKuKY-8TT

Amidst dreary news about the economy, we have a piece of good news.

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission gave a killing karaté chop to the Orwellian-named "Fairness Doctrine"!

Brooks Boliek of Politico reports, August 22, 2011, that the FCC also axed more than 80 media industry rules.

Earlier this summer FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski already had agreed to erase the post WWII-era "doctrine", but the action Monday puts the last nail into the coffin for the regulation that sought to ensure discussion over the airwaves of controversial issues did not exclude any particular point of view. A broadcaster that violated the rule risked losing its license.

While the commission voted in 1987 to do away with the rule — a legacy to a time when broadcasting was a much more dominant voice than it is today — the language implementing it was never removed. The move Monday, once published in the federal register, effectively erases the rule.

Monday's move is part of the commission's response to a White House executive order directing a "government-wide review of regulations already on the books" designed to eliminate unnecessary regulations.

Also consigned to the regulatory dustbin are the "broadcast flag" digital copy protection rule that was struck down by the courts and the cable programming service tier rate. Altogether, the agency tossed 83 rules and regs.

Genachowski said in a statement that the move was aimed at promoting "a healthy climate for private investment and job creation." Both the Obama administration and the FCC have come under criticism by business groups over laws and regulations such as health care reform and net neutrality rules.

I'm still incredulous that the Obama administration actually did something right....

~Eowyn

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