WASHINGTON – Powerful Democratic lawmakers are giving static to conservative radio hosts – by trying to reinstitute a federal rule requiring balance on the airwaves.
The move has conservatives howling that Democrats are trying to legislate listening habits. One lawmaker compared the idea to forcing diehard Rolling Stones fans to listen to country crooner Merle Haggard.
The Democratic lawmakers say they want to restore the Fairness Doctrine – requiring that TV and radio stations provide equal time to both sides.
“I think the Fairness Doctrine ought to be there,” said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). “And I also think the equal-time doctrine ought to come back.”
The move would be a blow to hundreds of radio stations that have found a market for sharp-tongued conservative rhetoric.
The Center for American Progress said in a report last month that 91 percent of weekday talk radio is conservative.
“Let’s face it: This is nothing more than the left trampling on the First Amendment in order to get to talk radio,” fumed Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas). “I can’t think of anything more patently unfair than the Fairness Doctrine.”
Democrats sparked an uproar among conservative bloggers by threatening to bring back the doctrine – which the Federal Communications Commission abolished in 1987 after a series of critical Supreme Court rulings.
“It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine. I have this old-fashioned attitude that when Americans hear both sides of the story, they’re in a better position to make a decision,” Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) told The Hill newspaper.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) expressed support for the idea on “Fox News Sunday” late last month, saying talk radio was “overwhelmingly one way.”
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), who chairs the powerful House Rules Committee, wants to go further. As a co-chair of a House caucus on the media, Slaughter wants to develop broad legislation that also would tighten restrictions on how many TV, newspaper and radio stations one entity could own.
Besides fairness, she said there are ownership and diversity issues, too.
Some Republicans who backed a comprehensive immigration bill are also ticked at talk radio.
Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) caused a stir when he told a newspaper in the heat of the debate, “Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem.”
A Republican amendment prohibiting the use of funds to bring back the doctrine passed easily with 309 votes last week – with almost equal numbers of Democrats for and against it.