Thread: Lawmaker seeks protection for talk radio from efforts to rev

Lawmaker seeks protection for talk radio from efforts to revive Fairness DoctrineThe Business Journal of Phoenix - 5:34 PM MST Wednesday, June 27, 2007
by Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal

An Arizona lawmaker has proposed a federal measure to protect conservative radio talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity from regulations being pushed by liberal advocates and Democrats.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Mesa, has put forward a measure to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. Proponents say reinstating the measure would be an attack on free speech.


The Fairness Doctrine is a decades-old federal rule that required radio stations to offer equal opportunities to various political viewpoints as part of their FCC licenses. Former President Ronald Reagan nixed the requirements in 1987, helping spur the launch of political talk radio shows, which are dominated by conservatives.

Flake is a libertarian-oriented Republican who generally opposes government regulations and restrictions on the marketplace.

Liberal-oriented talk radio has lagged behind right-wing rivals, although there have been some efforts. KPHX 1480 AM, for example, is part of the liberal Nova M Network, which is based in Phoenix and includes Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy and Stephanie Miller.

Supporters of efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine or impose similar standards say they want to give more time to other views. None of Arizona's four Democratic congressional delegates have signed onto that proposal.

Limbaugh and Hannity are heard on KFYI-AM 550 in the Phoenix market. Ingraham and Hugh Hewitt are on KKNT-AM 960 in this market.

Those shows have made their names criticizing Democrats including Bill and Hillary Clinton and attacking mainstream media outlets like the New York Times.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... ily33.html

Pence has a bill that needs to be passed to protect freedom of speech, its the freedom of broadcast act, call your Represenatives and ask them to co-sponser this bill.