Next Bailout: Liberal Media?

James Gattuso / February 26, 2009

Over the past few months,  we’ve seen a seemingly endless parade of bailouts from Washington — for banks, for automobiles, and just about everything else.    Today,  Congress may be voting on yet another bailout — this time for liberal media.   This afternoon, the Senate is expected to take up a proposal by Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois which would clear the way for a restoration of  measures designed to chill speech considered too conservative. The Durbin measure is being offered as a substitute to a contrary measure by Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina which would bar the FCC from re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine.

Interestingly, the Durbin amendment doesn’t actually address the Fairness Doctrine itself.   Supporters of such a direct attempt to reimpose the doctrine know that such an direct attempt to return to the speech-muzzling rules of the past would be doomed to fail.  Notably, even President Obama has declined to support such a step.   Instead, the measure would simply require the FCC to promote “diversity” in media ownership and to ensure that broadcast stations licenses are used “in the public interest.” (more…)