Acting FCC Chairman Says No To Fairness Doctrine
At the inaugural meeting of the FCC‘s re-chartered Diversity Committee, acting Chairman Michael Copps made it clear that he in no way supports resurrecting the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine, which was a rule the Commission dropped more than two decades ago that required radio stations to air both sides of important issues. Both conservative and liberal broadcasters alike have expressed concern about the possible return of the Doctrine, calling it an infringement on First Amendment Rights. But on Thursday, Copps may have put their minds at ease.
“There is one topic that I do not expect this Committee to address – that would be the Fairness Doctrine. I almost hesitate to mention it because it seems so obvious,” Copps said at the meeting. ”But apparently there are some who remain confused – I hope not willfully so. Those who claim that promoting diversity and addressing the woeful effects of past discrimination are the equivalent of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine understand neither the Fairness Doctrine nor, more importantly, the lack of opportunity minorities and women have when it comes to owning and operating the enterprises that allow us to communicate with one another. What you are about is righting the wrong of generations of denied opportunity. When all the statistics show us still heading in the wrong direction, most people without an axe to grind appreciate the wisdom of that old adage, ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’ Resurrecting the straw man of a bye-gone Fairness Doctrine to deflect this country’s passage to equal opportunity is a kind of issue-mongering that has no place in twenty-first century America.”
Copps also stressed that America’s strength is its diversity. “America will succeed in the Twenty-first century not in spite of our diversity, but because of it.” he said. “We must nurture the individual talents, genius and creativity of all of our people. Our economic well-being and, indeed, our very democracy, depend on it.”
