How is the Fairness Doctrine Unfair?
The Fairness Doctrine is based upon the idea that the government can and should dictate fair and equal time on subjects. It has been used to manage talk radio, micromanaging air time on subjects. Yet its application was unfair. Fairness Doctrine was never applied to television, despite a known left wing bias in all major networks except Fox News. Fairness Doctrine is never applied to newspapers, books, magazines – all of which are free to their own bias. Fairness Doctrine is not even applied to non-political topics. No one seriously screams lack of fairness during a gay marriage debate when the polygamist is not allowed an equal seat. The Fairness Doctrine by its narrowness is unfair in only applying to radio. And by applying it to all media, it stifles free speech. After all, one could silence a critic by finding as many sides as possible to the debate and mandating “fair share of time” to all kooks and quacks, silencing the real and serious discussion.
