Broadcast Freedom

Statement

It has always struck me how some Husker fans on game day turn down the volume on their television sets and turn up their radio for the play-by-play breakdown rather than listen to the national announcers.

They do this for a variety of reasons - a greater depth of Husker knowledge, more focus on our players, or just for the familiar voices and local flavor.

So what would happen if the federal government mandated every Husker broadcast had to give equal time to the announcing team of Big Red's opponent?

Seems a bit unfair, doesn't it?

Just like fans of other teams have the opportunity to listen to their own stations, today's world of multiple channels of AM and FM radio, satellite radio services, the Internet, and hundreds of channels of television offers opinions on every aspect of the political spectrum.

Yet some in Washington D.C. are attempting to enforce their idea of "fairness" upon the American people, without regard to the fact this fairness would be attained at the cost of limiting the freedom of others.

In 1949, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began requiring broadcasters to present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance - a stance which eventually became known as the "Fairness Doctrine."

The Fairness Doctrine led to a number of unintended consequences, as it essentially resulted in a moratorium on all editorializing. This discouraged radio and television stations from opining on hot-button issues, instead cooling public debate.

In the 1980s, the FCC overturned the Fairness Doctrine, a decision which was subsequently upheld by the courts. As a result, broadcasters today are able to speak freely and talk radio has emerged as a powerful and essential medium of ideas and opinions.

Some elected officials have said that Congress should "deal with that problem" and others are "looking at" bringing back this outright regulation of the American political debate, apparently troubled by the free flow of information and ideas.

In June 2007, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) offered an amendment which would ban the Fairness Doctrine for the current fiscal year. Thankfully, I was joined by more than 300 Members of Congress - nearly three-quarters of the House - in voting for the amendment.

Since then, H.R. 2905 (the Broadcaster Freedom Act) has been introduced. The Broadcaster Freedom Act would prohibit the FCC from prescribing rules, regulations, or policies which would reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.

However, this bill has not been brought up for a vote, due to opposition from the House Democratic Leadership. In an attempt to force this needed piece of legislation to the House floor for an up-or-down vote, I joined with 201 of my colleagues to sign a discharge petition. If 218 Members of Congress sign the petition, this legislation would finally have its day.

Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. The effect of re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine would be predictable: broadcasters would drop programs which advocate a point of view on a controversial issue or issues.

It is a dangerous proposal to suggest any government agency should be in the business of determining what is and what is not "controversial," something Americans of all political viewpoints should not stand for.

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