Is it time for a New Fairness Doctrine?

[Bill219]

I know that a lot of people oppose it but the media situation in this country is absolutely out of hand and there is nothing to hold them accountable for the outright lies and misinformation that are being spread on the radio and television airwaves.

I just read this article over at Please Cut the Crap!!!

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2009/09/a-new-fairness-doctrine.html

A Proposal for a New Fairness Doctrine

Washington, DC could very well be the most liberal metropolitan area in the country. More than 7 million people live in the Baltimore/Washington twin markets, and liberals dominate nearly every area of life. The city itself hasn't elected a Republican to anything almost since Lincoln was president, the Maryland suburbs are dominated by Democrats, and the northern part of Virginia is referred to in negative terms because of its penchant to vote the opposite of the southern part of the state.


In other words, the Washington DC metropolitan area is probably the largest population of liberals in the entire country.

The Baltimore/Washington radio markets feature seven news-talk radio stations. Six of the stations feature political or news-based talk for 21 hours or more per weekday. The other two only feature news-talk for about 5-6 hours per day. Now, for the purposes of this column, let's only talk about the hours between 6 AM and Midnight. I will also not include programs by Dr. Laura, Dr. Joy Brown or Dr Dean Edell, or any straight news or talk programs that aren't topical. I have also left out "hot talk," sports talk and basic informational programming. I am only concerned with programs in which commentary and analysis of the news are expressed.

Overall, on Baltimore/Washington, DC area radio, between the hours of 6 AM to Midnight, 86 hours of news talk radio can be found on a typical weekday. Of that total, 23 hours of programming are local, while 63 hours are syndicated. Of the 23 hours of local "news" talk programming in the region, 13 hours feature moderate or liberal hosts, while 10 hours feature far right local hosts, which is a relatively fair mix that isn't worth complaining about. But of the 63 hours of nationally syndicated (read cheap for stations to program) programming, only FIVE HOURS feature syndicated progressive talkers.


In other words, in what is almost certainly one of the most liberal markets in the country, 92% of the time allocated to syndicated news-talk programs is taken up by the far right, with only Al Sharpton and Ed Schultz holding down the fort on the other end of the spectrum. Even when you include the local talk shows, only 15% of the available news-talk airtime is occupied by moderates or progressives.

read the rest at the link above....

[vadawg]

1. if the listeners were there, the shows would be there, i think that the people who listen to the

radio during the day tend to be more conservative so the stations cater to them, i know that no one i work with would listen to a more liberal station, its all rush, hannity and then different music stations...

[baldguy]

2. There are dozens of instances of top-rated liberal programming

being pulled & replaced with lower rated "news" or sports or music formats.

Also, all too often media conglomerates with hundreds of stations will put the same programs on them all across the country - without regard to local tastes. Just as an example, there are currently no nationally syndicated liberal talk shows broadcast live in New York City. Do you think NYC is CONSERVATIVE?

Finally, conservative talk shows are subsidized by their corporate owners. Liberal shows have to compete in an unbalanced marketplace. When they do, the lib shows usually win.

[Horse with no Name]

4. It's tough to argue with a right-leaning corporatist

and I am being generous.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Hmm local station ran AAR... it was UP THERE in the ratings

with NO marketing

It was canned by the owner, so no, that does not fly

This is not a will there be a market for this crap? It is more the we the owners cannot have opposing points of view on the air

And this is not just ONE market. It has happened over, and over and over and over and over again.

[lib2DaBone]

3. Fairness is LONG overdue...

Along with Multiple station Ownership Rules. Has anyone noticed? Clear Channel owns almost EVERY radio station in the United States? DUH?

Has your local news coverage increased? Has your "choice" in programming increased? Wonder Why? Call your local Republicans.

Republican control = $$$$$$

[Bill219]

7. and the right is freaking out over a Fairness Doctrine

go to twitter and type it in the search box

they know that if the fairness doctrine or some form of control over the outright lies and hate they spread on a daily basis was passed, it would be the end of the gravy train for them.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Yes, but that requires a spine

when you find one, perhaps we will see it