Censorship

Law may allow preemptive, premature rescission of broadcast licenses By Any Other Name Still StingsYesterday by a whopping 87-11 vote, the Senate added as a rider to the passed DC voting rights bill the Broadcaster Freedom Act (BFA).  The BFA, if also passed by the House and signed by the President, would kill once and for all the Censorship Doctrine -- also mis-known as the "Fairness"…

Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh published an open letter to Barack Obama Friday imploring the new president to prevent his Party from destroying free speech in America by censoring political views on the airwaves:I have a straightforward question, which I hope you will answer in a straightforward way: Is it your intention to censor talk radio through a variety of contrivances, such as…

Recently, past and present Democratic politicians have spoken out in favor of reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said it was "absolutely time to pass a standard." Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, came out with a similar message, saying, "We need the Fairness Doctrine back." And former President Bill Clinton said, "You either ought to have the Fairness Doctrine or we…

After getting smacked around by Fox News's Megyn Kelly Monday, liberal talker Bill Press went on WOR radio's Steve Malzberg Show and accidentally exposed his real goal in supporting a re-enactment of the Fairness Doctrine: he wants to be heard.In fact, he also wants the Fairness Doctrine back for his own financial gain:I know why I'm interested in it because I get up every morning at 3:45, I do…

Fox News's Megyn Kelly debated liberal talk radio host Bill Press on Monday's "America's Newsroom," and the sparks were flying from the opening bell.Kelly deliciously began the segment:Hi, Bill. You have a little self-interest on this one perhaps?Yah think? But that was just the beginning (video embedded below the fold):

The owner of a cable TV network created to promote better understanding of Muslims in America was arrested in Orchard Park, New York, Thursday for beheading his wife.If you hadn't heard about this that wouldn't be a surprise for the story has been almost completely boycotted here in the states.As WIVB-TV reported Friday (video embedded below the fold, h/t Marc Sheppard, photo courtesy WIVB):

A 1993 Heritage Foundation Executive Memorandum made points (HT to Jay Ott at Maggie Thurber's blog) that have seldom been made in media discussions, like this really weak front-page article a week ago at the Toledo Blade, about reinstating the so-called Fairness Doctrine. The Blade's Kirk Baird and Rod Lockwood seem to act as if radio is the only communications medium in existence. Heritage's…

Bear and ImbalancedThe Censors are now coming in waves. Late last week it was Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and this week Sen. Tom Harkin and then former President Bill Clinton.And today on CNN Radio New York Democratic Representative Maurice Hinchey re-asserted his long held desire to reinstate the Censorship Doctrine.From the CNN website:"I think the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," Hinchey…

Free Speech and Free Markets?  Nah.For the third time in eight days, a prominent liberal has called for a return of the Censorship Doctrine, otherwise mis-known as the "Fairness" Doctrine.  This time it's former President and current high-dollar global thug speechifier -- and husband of the Secretary of State -- Bill Clinton.Kudos and our sympathy to Michael Calderone at the Politico, who has to…

On NewsBusters we have for a few years now been chronicling the constant failure of the media to label a criminal or troubled politician with his party affiliation when that politician is a Democrat, we all know. Every couple of days we detail a new "name that party" story where an Old Media outlet reports on a Democrat politician arrested, convicted, or accused of a crime though he seems never…

In yet another example of flag spamming and poor corporate over sight Facebook decided this week to remove an ad from the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. The group was advertising a petition on their site nostimulus.com which lets people voice their opposition to the near $800 billion stimulus going through congress right now. After originally screening and approving the ad CNS News…

A month ago, I noted a comment by Chicago Sun-Times writer Carol Marin who was mildly complaining that President Obama never goes before the press without having a list of pre-approved journalists upon whom he'll call during a press conference. She offhandedly quipped that in the press corps, "most of us don't even bother raising our hands any more to ask questions because Obama always has before…

The Senator Of Course Gets to Keep His MicrophoneIt seems you can't swing a dead cat in the United States Senate without hitting another proponent of a reinstatement of the Censorship Doctrine.In today's Politico Michael Calderone delivers the second addition to the censors list in less than a week.  Last Thursday, it was Michigan Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow.  Today it's Iowa Democratic…

“Did Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) really believe she could get away with calling for conservative talk radio censorship without revealing her husband's past ties to its troubled liberal counterpart?” the Radio Equalizer's Brian Maloney asked in a Friday night posting. “One day after telling libtalker Bill Press she was interested in pushing Senate hearings into the issue of regulating talk…