What is the fairness Doctrine?

Answer 1

It's a policy of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission established to where those who hold broadcasting liscenses are required to present controversial issues of "public interest" in a manner that's "balanced", "fair", "equitable" and "honest". It was introduced in 1949 as a means to regulate the First Amendment!

Answer 2

The Fairness Doctrine was an FCC policy in the United States that forced broadcasters (TV and Radio) to present both sides of any issue with fairness and honesty, thus prohibiting the pundits that are so common today. This Fairness Doctrine was appealed by Mark S. Fowler who was appointed Chairman of the FCC by President Ronald Reagan. Even though presidential advisers told President Reagan that the Fairness Doctrine was the only thing saving him from the savageness of the three stations, Reagan knew that this violated the people's right to have free speech and he loved speech. The Fairness Doctrine was revoked and is now trying to be reinstated by many Democratic politicians, such as Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Nancy Peloci, and Richard Durbin. This is because democratic political views just can't and don't seem to make sense and therefore do not work for talk radio.

Answer 3

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. 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.

Answer 4

It requires broadcasters to cover events adequately and to present contrasting views on important public issues