Rosen: An assault on the First Amendment

Denver Post ^ | 5-8-2009 | Mike Rosen

[MtnClimber]

It's beyond dispute that leftist thought and spin dominate news and political coverage on the major television networks, National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System (to say nothing of K-12 public education, academia and the entertainment industry). But apparently that's not enough for the left, which finds it intolerable that conservatives continue to enjoy prominence on talk radio.

Their opening gambit was an attempt to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine, repealed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1987 during the Reagan administration. That was an idea whose time had long since passed. In the infancy of radio and television there was concern that the relatively small number of broadcast outlets might abuse their public trust and unduly manipulate public opinion. So it was decreed that licensed radio and TV stations must present contrasting viewpoints on public policy issues. This was always a presumptuous and unworkable mandate. What kind of panel of FCC philosopher-kings could possibly possess the impartiality and wisdom to judge all of broadcast media and determine what is fair and what isn't? Moreover, you can't just present "both sides" when there are many sides to an issue. Since presenting all sides is impractical, the result was to discourage overtly opinionated programming. (Covertly opinionated liberal programming was OK.)

[MtnClimber]

The left will claim other reasons beside censorship of their opposition, but the results will be the same.

[MtnClimber]

I expect “Community Standards Boards” to be given great control over any discussion types of programming.

[JD91]

I listen to Mike’s talk show - he went over this entire subject a couple of days ago. 850 KOA in Denver!

[MtnClimber]

I also listen to Mike Rosen most days. I am glad the Denver Post picked him up as an opinion columnist after The Rocky Mountain News folded. One of the few voices of sanity in that paper.