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The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission's view, honest, equitable and balanced. The FCC eliminated the Doctrine in 1987, and in August 2011 the FCC formally removed the language that implemented the Doctrine.[1]
The Fairness Doctrine had two basic elements: It required broadcasters to devote some of their airtime to discussing controversial matters of public interest, and to air contrasting views regarding those matters. Stations were given wide latitude as to how to provide contrasting views: It could be done through news segments, public affairs shows, or editorials. The doctrine did not require equal time for opposing views but required that contrasting viewpoints be presented.[2]
The main agenda for the doctrine was to ensure that viewers were exposed to a diversity of viewpoints. In 1969 the United States Supreme Court upheld the FCC's general right to enforce the Fairness Doctrine where channels were limited. But the courts did not rule that the FCC was obliged to do so.[3] The courts reasoned that the scarcity of the broadcast spectrum, which limited the opportunity for access to the airwaves, created a need for the Doctrine. However, the proliferation of cable television, multiple channels within cable, public-access channels, and the Internet have eroded this argument, since there are plenty of places for ordinary individuals to make public comments on controversial issues at low or no cost at all.
Media:
Foreign owned Fox News (a news entertainment company) Am radio Rush, Hannity, and a host of other "news" broadcast trumpet the same "news" stories over and over all day long. They also spend alot of time attacking other conservatives labeling them Rinos (republican in name only) while pushing there scripted news entertainment. They and right wing politicians have made it clear that they would rather shut down the government than work with the other side for compromise, in fact they view compromise as a terrible thing.
Under GWB there was plenty of conspiracies and corruption and crimes up to and including treason (cheney) but did Fox news break any of these stories? Or did they just act as a extension of the white house under Bush? CNN on the other hand often accused of being a Obama puppeteer broke the story on the VA scandal.
you are a commie-pinko