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Shocker: Journalists on OUR Side For a Change

Submitted by Warner Todd Huston on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 21:51

The folks at The Hill alerted me to the fact that the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) have decided to oppose any reinstitution of the inaptly named Fairness Doctrine. I know, imagine that... as lefty a group as the SPJ actually agreeing with conservatives that the Fairness Doctrine is an abomination of our Constitutional right to free political speech! You can knock me over with a feather, and all.

The Hill is right to quip that this makes for strange bedfellows, but it would seem like a no-brainer for anyone interested in Constitutional rights and a jealous protection of free speech no matter whose it is.

The Society of Professional Journalists, celebrating 100 years of journalism and free speech advocacy, opposes reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine, which would allow the government to control broadcast editorial content.

SPJ believes firmly that just as government has no business regulating words printed in a newspaper, the public good is not served by mandating how to broadcast news or opinions on radio or television.

Hear, hear. Who says that there is nothing we can agree upon with our friends in journalism?

Kudos to the SPJ for a spot on decision and a true-blue American sentiment well expressed.

Be sure and Visit my Home blog Publius' Forum. It's what's happening NOW!

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Well it is about time.

Submitted by NextRightNando on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 22:08.

About time. Barack Obama came out against reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine all the way back in June, 2008.

Not a shocker at all...

Submitted by Paul1966 on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 01:02.

Of course journalists are against it.  The Fairness Doctrine would operate by placing restrictions on their trade.   I would be shocked if any journalist were in favor of it.

I would be even more shocked if the Fairness Doctrine were to ever actually get reinstated, since doing so would be a TERRIBLE strategic and political move by the Democrats.  On top of that,  the Fairness Doctrine is substantively indefensible.

Nothing to worry about.

Nothing?

Submitted by Warner Todd Huston on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 04:53.

Nothing to worry about? It was in  force once. No doubt you'd have naively said "nothing to worry about" then, too!

Nothing?

Submitted by Warner Todd Huston on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 04:53.

Nothing to worry about? It was in  force once. No doubt you'd have naively said "nothing to worry about" then, too!

There are many bigger issues

Submitted by Paul1966 on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 13:47.

Maybe "nothing to worry about" is too strong, but I think there are many more important issues to worry about.  The chances of the Fairness Doctrine being reinstated are very low.  Most people are against it, including many (if not most) Democrats.  It's a bad idea that might have worked in the 1970s, when we only had three networks, but whch would never work in our current media landscape.