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FCC Commissioner: Return of Fairness Doctrine Could Control Web Content
businessandmedia.org ^ | August 12, 2008 | Jeff Poor

Posted on 08/12/2008 2:23:35 PM PDT by Rufus2007

There’s a huge concern among conservative talk radio hosts that reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine would all-but destroy the industry due to equal time constraints. But speech limits might not stop at radio. They could even be extended to include the Internet and “government dictating content policy.”

FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell raised that as a possibility after talking with bloggers at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. McDowell spoke about a recent FCC vote to bar Comcast from engaging in certain Internet practices – expanding the federal agency’s oversight of Internet networks.

The commissioner, a 2006 President Bush appointee, told the Business & Media Institute the Fairness Doctrine could be intertwined with the net neutrality battle. The result might end with the government regulating content on the Web, he warned. McDowell, who was against reprimanding Comcast, said the net neutrality effort could win the support of “a few isolated conservatives” who may not fully realize the long-term effects of government regulation.

“I think the fear is that somehow large corporations will censor their content, their points of view, right,” McDowell said. “I think the bigger concern for them should be if you have government dictating content policy, which by the way would have a big First Amendment problem.”

...(more w/video)...

(Excerpt) Read more at businessandmedia.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: censorship; fairnessdoctrine; fcc; firstamendment; internet; netneutrality; robertmcdowell; talkradio
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To: Rufus2007
No because they're fair and balanced :{
21 posted on 08/12/2008 2:59:14 PM PDT by isrul (Help make every day, "Disrespect a muzzie day.")
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To: Rufus2007
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I'm still disappointed in what has happened to the party of Polk, Pierce, Buchanan, Cleveland, Wilson, and others from the days when democrats were patriots who believed in the Constitution of the United States and in the rule of law. The "Fairness Doctrine" is intended purely for partisan advantage, at the expense of the Constitution, and that is inexcusable.

22 posted on 08/12/2008 3:11:57 PM PDT by RogerD (Educaiton Profesionul)
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To: Rufus2007
I think the bigger concern for them should be if you have government dictating content policy, which by the way would have a big First Amendment problem.”

Can't be said enough!

This is the road to Big Brother Infinity!

23 posted on 08/12/2008 3:15:04 PM PDT by airborne (American by birth! Christian by choice!)
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To: Rufus2007

Well since the USA does not own the Internet content. It comes from all over, I guess the US would become just like China, monitoring what Internet content could be served to the USA. Not gonna happen.


24 posted on 08/12/2008 3:19:25 PM PDT by w1andsodidwe (Jimmy Carter(the Godfather of Terror) allowed radical Islam to get a foothold in Iran.)
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To: Tzimisce
The FCC is supposed to regulate AIR WAVES and signals that go through the air.

Can you say WiFi, WiMax, wireless Ethernet? It goes through the air just fine. FCC also regulates telephone companies. The internet is routed over wired facilities owned by telephone companies.

This is a big stink bomb and a liberal wet dream. The left would like nothing better than total control of all communications. Hugo Chavez must be wetting his pants at this news.

25 posted on 08/12/2008 3:24:08 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: w1andsodidwe
Well since the USA does not own the Internet content. It comes from all over, I guess the US would become just like China, monitoring what Internet content could be served to the USA. Not gonna happen.

I think it was Stalin who said that it doesn't matter who votes. What matters is who counts the votes. In the internet world, the content doesn't matter. It's who controls the routers. It's pretty damn easy to shut it down.

26 posted on 08/12/2008 3:26:54 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Rufus2007
FWIW.

Obama supports the Fairness Doctrine.

John McCain opposes the Fairness Doctrine. He's even said, as POTUS he'd veto any such legislation that comes to his desk.

27 posted on 08/12/2008 3:28:34 PM PDT by Reagan Man ( McCain Wants My Vote --- this conservative is ambivalent to the odious Johnny Mac)
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To: Myrddin
I think it was Stalin who said that it doesn't matter who votes. What matters is who counts the votes. In the internet world, the content doesn't matter. It's who controls the routers. It's pretty damn easy to shut it down.

Well, I know that. The problem is that, I don't believe that the USA would want to be seen as just another censor like China, because that is what the world would see.

28 posted on 08/12/2008 3:38:19 PM PDT by w1andsodidwe (Jimmy Carter(the Godfather of Terror) allowed radical Islam to get a foothold in Iran.)
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To: Rufus2007

They’ll have to take my computer out of my cold dead hands.


29 posted on 08/12/2008 3:53:22 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: w1andsodidwe

Unfortunately there are too many people just like that who would love to see this country under censor/rules and we see them trying to get control of everything and they are called Democrats.


30 posted on 08/12/2008 3:59:27 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: TribalPrincess2U

There is a little thing called the constitution that prevents this from happening.


31 posted on 08/12/2008 4:10:50 PM PDT by w1andsodidwe (Jimmy Carter(the Godfather of Terror) allowed radical Islam to get a foothold in Iran.)
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To: Rufus2007
all your fairness are belong to us
32 posted on 08/12/2008 4:19:22 PM PDT by Leo Farnsworth (I'm not really Leo Farnsworth...)
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To: DBrow
Today we have a government that ignores the will of the people and strives to control everything we do. It's a dangerous combination, especially when you add in the arrogance and stupidity of the politicians. The American people better wake up soon or they will find themselves living in a police state run by elitist pigs like Pelosi.
33 posted on 08/12/2008 4:30:31 PM PDT by peeps36 ( Al Gore Is A Big Fat Lying Hypocrite. He Pollutes The Air By Opening His Big Mouth)
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To: RogerD

Wilson??!!!?

WOODROW WILSON????

He was a racist and proto-Marxist who did everything possible to destroy the Constitution and comity amongst the races. Wilson is one of the most vile, leftist DEMOCRAT segregationist pigs who ever infested the whitehouse. He destroyed decades of work done by Republican presidents.

Read for yourself, FRiend -

http://www.reason.com/news/show/33906.html


34 posted on 08/12/2008 4:50:49 PM PDT by sergeantdave (We are entering the Age of the Idiot)
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To: Rufus2007
They'd better find themselves a bunker and say "goodbye" to the sun...
35 posted on 08/12/2008 5:14:55 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: w1andsodidwe
The problem is that, I don't believe that the USA would want to be seen as just another censor like China, because that is what the world would see.

All the blather about worrying about what the "world" thinks of the United States is just RAT propaganda aimed at Bush. All they really want is control. The opinion of the rest of the world be damned. Besides, if they achieve that level of control, the press will be controlled as well. The "world" will only hear what they want heard.

36 posted on 08/12/2008 6:12:10 PM PDT by Myrddin
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