February 14, 2009

Mainstream Media

But Whose Truth Must We Tell?

Justin Katz

Now here's an interesting, disturbing idea:

Undoubtedly you've heard the calls for a return of the Fairness Doctrine. Listen, I am so sick and tired of "fair and balanced" as the next person yet I believe in separation of press and state.

Hmmm. What to do...what to do?

I got it!

How about reversing the court decision that actually states the media is not legally required to tell the viewer the truth!

As Northeastern conservatives are particularly well trained to understand, based on experience walking deep in the heart of bizarro country and often (for those of us who've gone through a political conversion of some degree) a memorable period of discovering that everything you thought you knew about the world was wrong, the concept of "telling the truth" is not immune to spin and relativity. For effectiveness and accuracy, no legal policy will ever match habits of discerning credibility and applying common sense. Indeed, a government stamp can numb the drive to exercise those two knacks.

8:30 PM | TrackBack (0)
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I would recommend anyone who thinks they are for the "Fairness Doctrine" read the following:

The good guys, the bad guys, and the first amendment : free speech vs. fairness in broadcasting / Fred W. Friendly.

They might see that not everything turns out the way it is planned.

They might also look at the Wikipedia entry for Fred Friendly who started his career in Providence and ended up being considered by many the dean of broadcast journalism

This book is available from the public library in RI.

Posted by: JClancy at February 15, 2009 9:16 AM

Rush Limbuagh is the press? That would be news to him.

Radio stations are not newspapers. They are licensed by the FCC, and are given the privilege to occupy the publicly owned radio spectrum to operate in "the public interest".

You are correct that New York Times v. Sullivan created a de facto right to lie. The GOP couldn't have survived without it. I don't really have a problem with a right to lie, because the liars are always exposed if they hang around long enough. Witness the spectacle the pathetic and ridiculous Republican are now making of themselves.

Posted by: Ken at February 15, 2009 6:15 PM

I agree with conservatives that the Fairness Doctrine doesn't cut it (even though there probably are some FNC execs who secretly support it to run Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow off the air LOL).

Posted by: rhody at February 15, 2009 11:51 PM
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