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Alexandria, VA - Iowan Tom Harkin today became the second Democratic Senator in less than a week to call for a return of the Censorship Doctrine, otherwise mis-known as the "Fairness" Doctrine. Harkin ended his interview with left-wing radio host Bill Press by saying "(W)e gotta get the Fairness Doctrine back in law again."
Harkin has joined Michigan's Debbie Stabenow, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Chuck Schumer and an ever growing laundry list of liberal censors on the record calling for a return of the anti-free speech Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation.
The Censorship Doctrine was an FCC regulation in place and enforced between 1949 and 1987. Promising "fairness" and balance on the radio, it actually silenced virtually all discussion of controversial issues. President Ronald Reagan accurately identified it as anti-First Amendment and rescinded it, and the free market of talk radio has since flourished. Conservatives have prospered while liberals have repeatedly failed to garner an audience, so they now seek to censor their opposition with a return of the Censorship Doctrine.
The Media Research Center leads the Free Speech Alliance (www.FreeSpeechAlliance.us [2]), made up of fifty-nine (59) organizations representing more than seven million Americans dedicated to defending free speech against a return of the Censorship Doctrine or any other assault on talk radio and the First Amendment.
Audio of the interview is accessible online at:
http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2009/02/2009-02-11-PressShow-Harkin.mp3 [3]
MRC President L. Brent Bozell:
"Here we have yet another liberal seeking a return of the Censorship Doctrine, otherwise mis-known as the 'Fairness' Doctrine. We can now add Sen. Harkin to an ever growing laundry list of liberal censors that seek to silence free speech by shutting down conservative talk radio.
"There are some liberals in the media that insist the fear of a return of the Censorship Doctrine is an imaginary one that exists only in the heads of paranoid conservatives. Meanwhile, one liberal leader after another publicly states his or her intent to bring it back.
"Sens. Harkin and Stabenow, Speaker Pelosi and all the liberals who are seeking to bring back the Censorship Doctrine need to understand one thing. The Media Research Center and the Free Speech Alliance stand with the American people and the First Amendment against your efforts and will not allow you to silence conservative talk radio."
To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O'Boyle (x. 122) at (703) 683-5004.