Another way of looking at it is that if politics---unpaid as well as commercial--were removed from television the problem of "voters" behaving like beauty-contest judges would just about dissolve. Either way, Democrats would find themselves in a less friendly venue.
My proposal has the disadvantage of seeming to fail the kook test, I know--but it has the advantage of fitting the Constitution:
- The FCC created broadcasting when it rationed out licenses to the few and forbade the many to transmit.- The FCC grants only temporary licenses, requiring periodic applications claiming that renewal is "in the public interest".
- The FCC therefore has the authority to order the termination of the news divisions of the networks.
- The First Amendment forbids anything remotely resembling that authority, in the realm of personal (non-broadcast) speech, and in print. That broadcasting should have political influence is inherently constitutionally suspect.
- Inasmuch as broadcasting as we know it cannot exist if all are given equal transmitting authority, the only way to have a legally level playing field would be to give no one broadcasting authority.
Traffic an weather reports are actually beneficial to the people, and should be continued, andthe political import of live sports coverage seems to be de minimis and that certainly might be continued.
Everything else might also be continued if subjected to a one-week tape delay so that journalism would be almost entirely suppressed.