|
Recent events make it look as if Liberals in Congress are hell-bent on silencing any opposing political points of view. Three Democratic leaders, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and past President Bill Clinton publicly called this past week for reinstatement of the “Fairness Doctrine”, lamenting the demise of many Liberal talk radio stations across the Country.
They are acting as if some vast right wing conspiracy is overtaking and shutting down Liberal talk in the dark of night. The reality is much less sinister. Stations with a Liberal or Progressive format are flipping the switch because they are controlled by and responding to the free market. They can’t pay their bills broadcasting that format, and are changing to more lucrative fare like country music or traffic reports. The fact is that Liberals apparently don’t listen to talk radio, preferring music stations, NPR or their Ipods. Though Conservative talk stations don’t set the world on fire with their ratings, they generally make a good enough showing in their markets to stay afloat and pay their staff. As is often the case when Liberals are confronted by the free market, they attempt to circumvent it by law, enacting rules to require some level of perceived equity, even if the market reality doesn’t support it. The so-called “Fairness Doctrine” would require Conservative radio stations to devote equal time to opposing points of view by broadcasting Liberal programming. Apparently fairness only moves in one political direction since no one on either side of this issue is suggesting that NPR or other Liberal/Progressive stations make room in their programming for Limbaugh or O’Reilly. And why would we? Those stations are what they are and we recognize their format and agenda. We are free to listen or not, exactly the same as Conservative stations. That is what, in this Country we call, freedom of speech. With overwhelming control of our Government, it concerns me that Democrats feel the need to stifle opposing political opinion. What do they have to fear? Truth and common sense? If what they are selling is valid and best for America, won’t it stand on its merits regardless of criticism? They never hesitated to attack the last administration, why should the current one be immune to question?
In short, Liberal/Progressive talk radio is not a viable commercial format, and forcing stations to include such programming will in effect cause those stations to abandon the talk format altogether thereby eliminating many outlets of Conservative thought. This Country was born of dissent and throughout our history has been shaped by it. During the past eight years, Democrats have told us that dissent is patriotic, so it is baffling and troubling that now being in control, they have decided that opposing opinions need to be silenced. We can all name Countries and regimes where dissent has been muzzled or eliminated and we are all smart enough to recognize the consequences of such suppression. Hopefully we are also smart enough not to add America to that list.
|
