The Fairness Doctrine

the Fairness Doctrine, … was meant to ensure that a variety of views, beyond those of the licensees and those they favored, were heard on the airwaves. This meant that if the station primarily aired conservative opinions, then an opposing view also needed to be heard. However, this opposing view didn’t need to be included in the same program or even given equal airtime. Stations were free to air opposing views at whatever time they wished and to whatever extent, just so long as the public had the opportunity to hear it.

However, today we have a ton of choices in which to find various views of every issue imaginable. Not counting conservative talk show hosts who apparently live in constant fear of the Fairness Doctrine being reinstated, few politicians are talking about the rule's return. Which makes me wonder, are conservatives really afraid of it returning or are they just creating a straw man in which to get their conservative listeners all fired up? It seems these conservative radio hosts like to throw daggers at phantoms. Some of their favorite whipping boys are the liberal media, teachers, labor unions and liberals in general. All of these are set up by these hosts to be the embodiment of evil and a clear and present danger to the United States.

And we wonder why we have such a fiercely divided and divisive electorate.