Equal Time = Liberal Time


Post below recycled from Weekly Standard. See the original for links

Democrats like Sen. Durbin and Sen. Kerry are eager to resurrect the so-called Fairness Doctrine, whereby radio stations will be required to give equal time to liberal talking heads. They know this would kill talk-radio, a traditionally conservative medium, which would instantly become unprofitable if stations were forced to give liberal hosts equal time despite the fact no one would listen to them. I'm sure Sen. Durbin and Sen. Kerry are tickled pink, however, that they get to talk about free speech and compelling government interests even as they gag their political enemies.

If the Fairness Doctrine is justified with the airwaves, why not with newsprint as well? Today Howard Kurtz reports, "With this week's Newsweek cover story on Obama's religious beliefs, he has been featured on Time and Newsweek covers 12 times in the past three years, compared with five for McCain." If Sen. Durbin and Kerry are so preoccupied by the absence of fairness and diversity on radio stations, surely they would agree the same compelling interests apply to print media. No, actually, they wouldn't, because fair speech is liberal speech in their minds.

Of course, the Fairness Doctrine is a relic of a time when there were so few channels existed that government did have some compelling interest in ensuring all sides were equally represented. No such interest exists today. That goes for radio stations just as much as magazine covers.

Posted by John Ray.