Help Restore Balance on the Public Airwaves - Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine FairnessDoctrine.com
For many years, television and radio stations were required to give equal time to opposing sides of public or political issues to ensure the American public heard all sides of a debate. It was a requirement made by the Federal Communications Commission that came to be known as The Fairness Doctrine.
In 1986, a federal court ruled that the Fairness Doctrine did not have the force of law and could be overturned without congressional approval. Congress passed a bill to make the doctrine law but the bill was vetoed by President Reagan in 1987 and the Fairness Doctrine was abolished.
Since then, the country has experienced a proliferation of highly partisan news outlets that disseminate unbalanced news coverage. Democracy is built on the idea that the views, beliefs, and values of an informed citizenry provide the best basis for political decision-making.
And American listeners and viewers agree. A recent poll of likely voters shows overwhelming support across the political and demographic spectrum for restoring rules requiring fairness and balance on the public airwaves.
Please join us in signing the following petition calling for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine:
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Demand that Congress Renew the Fairness Doctrine
In June 2004, Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced legislation calling on broadcasters to provide balance and diversity in their news coverage. H.R. 4710, or the MEDIA Act (Meaningful Expression of Democracy in America) would reinstate the Fairness Doctrine to ensure that broadcasters "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance." We, the undersigned, support Representative Slaughter's efforts to restore balance to the media and call on Congress to pass this measure.
News consumers, particularly those of talk radio, are overwhelmingly exposed to a single point of view. A survey conducted by Democracy Radio this year revealed that 90% of all broadcast hours on talk radio are fairly characterized as conservative. This imbalance results in issues of public importance receiving little or no attention, while others are presented in a manner not conducive to the listeners' receiving the facts and range of opinions necessary to make informed decisions.
By restoring a diversity of fact and opinion to programming, Fairness Doctrine legislation restores a concept that has been lost since the 1980s -- that because the public owns the airwaves, the public is entitled to be adequately informed by the broadcasters of news and opinion. Slaughter's bill puts this fundamental issue as well as the responsibility of broadcasters back on the agenda: "A broadcast license confers the right to use a valuable public resource and a broadcaster is therefore required to utilize that resource as a trustee for the American people."
We, the undersigned, demand that Congress restore balance to our airwaves.
In June 2004, Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced legislation calling on broadcasters to provide balance and diversity in their news coverage. H.R. 4710, or the MEDIA Act (Meaningful Expression of Democracy in America) would reinstate the Fairness Doctrine to ensure that broadcasters "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance." We, the undersigned, support Representative Slaughter's efforts to restore balance to the media and call on Congress to pass this measure.
News consumers, particularly those of talk radio, are overwhelmingly exposed to a single point of view. A survey conducted by Democracy Radio this year revealed that 90% of all broadcast hours on talk radio are fairly characterized as conservative. This imbalance results in issues of public importance receiving little or no attention, while others are presented in a manner not conducive to the listeners' receiving the facts and range of opinions necessary to make informed decisions.
By restoring a diversity of fact and opinion to programming, Fairness Doctrine legislation restores a concept that has been lost since the 1980s -- that because the public owns the airwaves, the public is entitled to be adequately informed by the broadcasters of news and opinion. Slaughter's bill puts this fundamental issue as well as the responsibility of broadcasters back on the agenda: "A broadcast license confers the right to use a valuable public resource and a broadcaster is therefore required to utilize that resource as a trustee for the American people."
We, the undersigned, demand that Congress restore balance to our airwaves.
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Click here to sign the petition
Thomas Athans
Executive Director
Democracy Radio
David Brock
President and CEO
Media Matters for America
Andrew Jay Schwartzman
President and CEO
Media Access Project
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