The fairness doctrine, paranoia, and right-wing self-pity
Political Animal — ... about the "unprecedented government assault upon the First Amendment" that is allegedly on the way. The New Republic's Marin Cogan asked around, trying to find Democrats who actually support bringing the fairness doctrine back, or media-reform liberals who might push for action on this. Cogan couldn't find any . Obama opposes it. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D) of New Mexico, allegedly a supporter, said, "Somebody plucked this out of the clear blue sky. This is a completely made-up issue." Mark Lloyd, co-author of a Center for American Progress media report, said, "I don't think ...

On Conservative Paranoia
The Anonymous Liberal — ... by the widespread and completely baseless paranoia among conservatives about the prospect of the "fairness doctrine" being reinstated. He links to this article by Marin Cogan of the New Republic who, after investigating the matter, concludes that there is almost no support within the Democratic caucus or among media-reform advocates for reinstatement of the doctrine. Cogan writes: ...

The Fairness Scare
Matthew Yglesias — Marin Cogan has a great piece on the right-wing’s mobilization against the phantom menace of the fairness doctrine: On Election Day, conservatives found a new bogeyman in Senator Chuck Schumer, after Fox News host Bill Hemmer cornered him about the issue on the air. Schumer just smirked: “I think we should all try to be fair and balanced, don’t you?” Rush Limbaugh seized on Schumer’s comments as evidence that the Democrats would “do everything they can” to bring the doctrine back. Two days after the ...

Fairness and Balance
Newshoggers.com — ... Marin Cogan tries to trace the providence of the "fairness doctrine" scare that has been all the rage in conservative circles both immediately before, and now after, the election of Barack Obama.  Many prominent conservative pundits (Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc.) have been sounding the alarm over what they perceive as Obama's intention to reintroduce the fairness doctrine - which mandates that broadcasters allow opposing viewpoints to be given equal time on television and radio. ...

The Fairness Doctrine Boogeyman
Oliver Willis — Democrats are mostly not interested in brining it back, but con talk radio is whipping up a frenzy about it. ...

The Fake Firestorm Of The Fairness Doctrine
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... Obama's official position is that he DOES NOT WANT the Fairness Doctrine reinstated. But it would be way too simple to leave it there, wouldn't it? So let's check in with Marin Cogan at The New Republic and take the pulse of the political will behind the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine: ...

Fairness Doctrine Fears: A Fake Right Wing Firestorm
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... Obama's official position is that he DOES NOT WANT the Fairness Doctrine reinstated. But it would be way too simple to leave it there, wouldn't it? So let's check in with Marin Cogan at The New Republic and take the pulse of the political will behind the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine: ...

'Fairness Doctrine' All Hot Air?
Real Clear Politics - TIME.com — That's the argument Marin Cogan makes in her New Republic piece . Specifically, says Cogan, the supposed effort by Democrats to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine is a "manufactured controversy." She writes: To figure out who was causing such agitation, I went searching for the proponents of the fairness doctrine. I looked at Obama's position–and it turns out that he doesn't want the policy reinstated. Then I called the array of Democratic congressmen who had been tagged by conservatives as doctrine proponents. But they all denied any intention to push for its reinstatement. ...

Fairness, Shmairness
Taylor Marsh — ... It’s interesting that all the people opining about the Fairness Doctrine are not or never have been, as far as I know, talk radio hosts. Not that you have to be to opine or write about it. Marin Cogan does a decent job of making the case why the right-wing is paranoid about it. But do any of these progressives have any professional experience trying to get or keep a show on the air? ...

And There Was Much Wailing
N/A — ... And there was much wailing: “As some of the world’s great egotists, it’s not surprising that Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly believe they would be the first political prisoners interned in an Obama administration.“ ...

And remember, there's a war on Christmas too
Some Guy With a Website by August J. Pollak - xoverboard.com — Several left-leaning bloggers are pondering why right-wingers are wailing non-stop right now about the Fairness Doctrine, a piece of legislation that does not exist, is not being planned, and will not be presented in any capacity. To which I would like to respond with a cartoon that I did six effing years ago. This isn't really a hard concept. Right-wingers are the opponents of progressives. Progress, you understand, is the act of things improving. Conservatives- people who do not want things to improve- ...

Some call it Fascism
Doug Ross @ Journal — ... I took a quick stroll over to the left side of the blogosphere this morning. I observed the leftoid pundits in full Atlantean regalia as Marin Cogan mocked conservative talk radio's concern over the ill-named "Fairness Doctrine". Democrats may scratch their heads over why this has lately become a right-wing obsession, but the paranoia is not without precedent. The prospect of being in the opposition often brings out the worst in conservatives--paranoia and self-pity. Plus, when the conservative coalition seems threatened, there's no better way to unify the party than scaring ...

Early Morning Swim
Firedoglake — Mukasey collapses during speech. Clinton to be announced SoS after Thanksgiving. So what about Richardson? The wingnuts' paranoia about the Fairness Doctrine. Franken edges closer to Coleman. Martin with the MOE of Chambliss. Contractors in Iraq could face charges. Palin's, uh, weird turkey "pardon."

Who wants the fairness doctrine?
Michael Calderone's Blog — ... On Wednesday, I was asked about the reinstatement of the fairness doctrine on a radio show and couldn't think of any leading Democrats that are actually pushing for it. Neither could the New Republic. ...

They just can't stop
Political Animal — ... about the fact that there's simply no interest at all in bringing the "fairness doctrine" back, and yet, it's become something of an obsession among conservatives. TNR's Marin Cogan had a great piece , highlighting the campaign against a non-existent initiative, and explaining, "The prospect of being in the opposition often brings out the worst in conservatives -- paranoia and self-pity." Right on cue, Bill O'Reilly devoted two -- count 'em, two -- parts of his Fox News program last night to denouncing the imaginary effort to bring back to the fairness doctrine. ...

O’Reilly: Internet has a well-known liberal bias.
Think Progress — ... Summoning the mythical boogeyman of the Fairness Doctrine — which would require broadcasters to provide a variety of political views on publicly-owned airwaves — Fox News host Bill O’Reilly warned last night that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “wants total control” over radio airwaves and would seek to reinstate the policy. He claimed that the media features far more liberal voices than conservative, citing newspapers, NPR, and…the Internet: ...

Obamist Newspaper Columnists Claim Talk Radio Won't Be Shut Down
The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney — ... But looking at Cogan's actual piece, rather than Bookman's oversimplification of it, Schumer and Bingaman's positions are discussed, but they've been allowed to weasel out of previous statements with new ones, purely for partisan political purposes. ...

Who Needs The Fairness Doctrine?
Firedoglake — ... One of the most hilarious and bizarre obsessions to come out of Talkradioland since The Rise of Obama has been the idea that Obama and the Democrats want to reinstate The Fairness Doctrine to take our Rush Limbaughs away.  Needless to say, as with most of the emissions from the right-wing fever swamp, the truth content is roughly zero parts per million. The thing is, as much as I personally find the talk radio screamers offensive and repulsive, they're doing far more damage to their own cause than they are to ours.  McCain and the GOP ran the most talk radio-y ...

Congress 'pushing' for Fairness Doctrine?
Michael Calderone's Blog — ... So are they drafting legislation or holding meetings as we speak? Actually, one thing that's missing in the Reuters piece -- which quotes a few conservative talk radio hosts fearful of the Doctrine's return -- is any quote from Pelosi, Boxer or Schumer. In fact, all three aren't even mentioned again in the rest of the article. If they're "pushing" for it, as is reported up top, they're doing so pretty quietly. (TNR actually called some of these folks last week). ...

Far-right rallies against imaginary threat
Political Animal — FAR-RIGHT RALLIES AGAINST IMAGINARY THREAT.... It seemed odd to me, at first, when the right started hyperventilating after the election about the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. Almost no one in the Democratic Party or the progressive movement seemed to care about the policy, but with each passing week, conservative panic became more palpable. As the far-right obsession grew, TNR's Marin Cogan wrote a great piece , noting that she couldn't find anyone on the left who really wants to reinstate the policy, and highlighting the campaign against a non-existent ...

Even George Will
Political Animal — ... they would be uninterested in reviving the fairness doctrine. Having so sullied liberalism's name that they have taken to calling themselves progressives, liberals are now ruining the reputation of reactionaries, which really is unfair. I haven't the foggiest idea what compelled George Will to write such nonsense. It's not only ridiculous, it neglects to mention to the reader that no one is seriously trying to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine . TNR's Marin Cogan recently wrote a great piece , noting that she couldn't find anyone on the left who really wants to reinstate the ...

No fair
The Reaction — ... One small problem: no one on the liberal side of the dial is advocating for the re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine. President-elect Obama is not in favor of it, and no one on Capitol Hill is seriously proposing that it be brought back. ...

Fairness Doctrine Ghosts Revived In George Will Column
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... of any import who could play even an ancillary role in making the revival of a shopworn, unwanted policy possible. That is because the only people who want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine are the hobgoblins and banshees that are conjured up in the ether-sleeps of conservative op-ed writers. Let's review, shall we? Does President-Elect Barack Obama favor reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine? That's a big, fat, NO. Does anyone else? Marin Cogan, from The New Republic writes: Today, the doctrine has ...

Fairness Doctrine Ghosts Revived In George Will Column
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... of any import who could play even an ancillary role in making the revival of a shopworn, unwanted policy possible. That is because the only people who want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine are the hobgoblins and banshees that are conjured up in the ether-sleeps of conservative op-ed writers. Let's review, shall we? Does President-Elect Barack Obama favor reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine? That's a big, fat, NO. Does anyone else? Marin Cogan, from The New Republic writes: Today, the doctrine has ...

'Fairness Doctrine' Advocate Identified
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... . Her efforts will be opposed by media-reform advocates, about three-quarters of the House, presumably all Senate Republicans, a slew of Democratic Senators who are mystified by how they've come to be seen as advocates for the measure, and President-Elect Barack Obama, who opposes it. ...

'Fairness Doctrine' Advocate Identified
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... . Her efforts will be opposed by media-reform advocates, about three-quarters of the House, presumably all Senate Republicans, a slew of Democratic Senators who are mystified by how they've come to be seen as advocates for the measure, and President-Elect Barack Obama, who opposes it. ...

Air America Founder:Bill O'Reilly Is Right
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... , the latest paranoid delusion among media purveyors on the right is that a revival of the "Fairness Doctrine" -- a mid-20th century measure which enforced a balancing of viewpoints on the then-scarce resources of terrestrial radio -- was in the offing, despite the fact that such a revival lacks any tangible support from major lawmakers, media reform advocates, or President-elect Barack Obama himself. Despite this, the phantom of a resurgent "Fairness Doctrine" has persisted. ...

Air America Founder:Bill O'Reilly Is Right
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... , the latest paranoid delusion among media purveyors on the right is that a revival of the "Fairness Doctrine" -- a mid-20th century measure which enforced a balancing of viewpoints on the then-scarce resources of terrestrial radio -- was in the offing, despite the fact that such a revival lacks any tangible support from major lawmakers, media reform advocates, or President-elect Barack Obama himself. Despite this, the phantom of a resurgent "Fairness Doctrine" has persisted. ...

'Fairness Doctrine': Ann Coulter Joins Paranoia Festival
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... " over the shadows of the ghosts of nothing. To review: Barack Obama is opposed to the Fairness Doctrine. Several key Democratic legislators also oppose it. Over one hundred Democratic Representatives, given the opportunity to vote in favor of bringing it back last year, instead opposed it. Media reform advocates oppose it. ...

'Fairness Doctrine': Ann Coulter Joins Paranoia Festival
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — ... " over the shadows of the ghosts of nothing. To review: Barack Obama is opposed to the Fairness Doctrine. Several key Democratic legislators also oppose it. Over one hundred Democratic Representatives, given the opportunity to vote in favor of bringing it back last year, instead opposed it. Media reform advocates oppose it. ...

A solution to a problem that doesn't exist
Political Animal — ... over political views expressed on the airwaves," said Rep. Mike Pence, Indiana Republican and a former broadcaster. Joining Mr. Pence and Mr. DeMint were Sen. James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma and Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon. These guys aren't pushing a bill to get rid of the Fairness Doctrine, because it's already gone. They're pushing a bill to prevent anyone from trying to bring it back -- despite the fact that there is no meaningful effort to do so. TNR's Marin Cogan recently wrote a great piece , noting that she couldn't find anyone on the left who was serious about reinstating ...

It never ends
Political Animal — ... The National Review 's Franc, without noting for his readers that Obama has already said he opposes reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, believes Holder's "evasive responses" offer a "hint" that the new Obama administration may "re-open" the Fairness Doctrine issue. Franc concludes: The bottom line is beware -- and stay tuned to your favorite talk radio host for further details! It's like reading dispatches from a parallel universe. For the record, TNR 's Marin Cogan recently wrote a great piece , noting that she couldn't find anyone on the left who was serious about ...

The Fairness Doctrine “False Alarm”
Nice Deb — ... Marin Cogan at The New Republic: Obama’s secret plan to muzzle talk radio. Very, very secret. ...

Dear Rush Limbaugh, Why Are You Hell-Bent On Protecting A Radio Market That Limits Free Speech?
Think Progress — ... the total weekday talk radio programming on those stations was conservative. Only 9 percent was progressive. The report recommended that increasing ownership diversity of radio stations would lead to more diverse programming. Since the release of the report, the conservative establishment, led by Rush Limbaugh, have launched a conspiracy-laden campaign to convince the American public that progressives are out to kill free speech through re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine (something the report does not call for). In a statement that ...