FrankRep
04-01-2008, 05:31 PM
JBS Alert: Support House Discharge Petition 110-3 for H.R. 2905, The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007
The John Birch Society (http://www.jbs.org/)
April 1, 2008
H.R. 2905, The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.2905:), introduced June 28, 2007 by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), would prohibit the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) from reinstating the so-called Fairness Doctrine, a former FCC policy that the agency revoked in 1987. The policy required broadcasters to air contrasting viewpoints about controversial issues of public importance (as decided by FCC bureaucrats) or risk losing their license. It was a counterproductive policy that did not make the public more informed as intended. Broadcasters were intimidated into avoiding controversial issues rather than risk offending the politicized FCC. While the Fairness Doctrine was enforced both Democrat and Republican administrations used the FCC to silence political opposition on the airwaves.
According to Rep. Pence, "The Broadcaster Freedom Act… would ensure that no future President could regulate the airwaves of America without an act of Congress."
By the mid 1980s the FCC concluded there was no reason to continue enforcing the Fairness Doctrine, because it discouraged free speech on the airwaves and the public had acquired sufficient access to opposing viewpoints through a growth in the number of broadcast outlets plus advances in technology. Neverthess, following the policy’s revocation intolerant radicals in Congress have repeatedly tried to pass legislation to require the FCC to regulate (once again) the opinion content aired by broadcasters. Then talk radio and religious broadcasters would be required to make air time available, possibly at their own expense, for others with opposing viewpoints.
H.R. 2905 was introduced in the House on June 28, 2007 and was immediately referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The bill has been held up in the committee stage since its introduction. On October 17, 2007 Rep. Pence filed Discharge Petition No. 110-3 to force the release of H.R. 2905 from committee and allow an up or down vote by the House. To be successful a discharge petition requires the signatures of a majority of House members (218). The petition needs two dozen more signers.
OUR POSITION
Reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine would repress the free speech of broadcasters and thus violate the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We support legislation that would prevent the policy from returning.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Confirm whether your congressman is among the 194 published signers of Discharge Petition No. 110-3 (http://clerk.house.gov/110/lrc/pd/Petitions/Dis3.htm).
If your congressman has not signed the discharge petition, check to see if your congressman is among the 204 co-sponsors of H.R. 2905 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2905). [Click the "show co-sponsors (204)" link]
If your congressman is a co-sponsor of H.R. 2905, but has not yet signed the discharge petition for it, ask why not and urge your congressman to sign Discharge Petition No. 110-3 for the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007, H.R. 2905.
If your congressman is neither a co-sponsor of H.R. 2905 nor a signer of Discharge Petition No. 110-3, please urge your congressman to sign the petition, especially if in the summer of 2007 he or she voted in favor of amendment H.AMT.484, Roll Call 599 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2007-599), which temporarily stalled funding for enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine should it be reinstated this year. Find out for certain whether your congressman truly opposes the Fairness Doctrine or was merely posturing through their vote in favor of that amendment. Is your representative willing to sign the discharge petition?
E-mail this link to others in your sphere of influence and ask them to voice support to their congressman for Discharge Petition 110-3 for The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007, H.R. 2905.
Click here (http://capwiz.com/jbs/issues/alert/?alertid=11143581) to take action on this issue.
ADDITIONAL READING
Fairness Doctrine Update (http://mikepence.house.gov/ConstituentServices/fairnessdoctrine.htm), from the office of Congressman Mike Pence
The Fairness Doctrine: An Archaic Policy That Violates the First Amendment (https://www.aclj.org/Media/PDF/ACLJFairnessDoctrinememo_08012007.pdf), (PDF file)
from The American Center for Law & Justice, August 1, 2007
A letter by FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin about the “Fairness Doctrine” (http://mikepence.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Kevin%20Martin%20Letter%207-23-07.pdf) (PDF file)
The Media Cartel (http://www.jbs.org/epublish/2/v19n3), The New American, February 10, 2003, a special edition
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/node/7618
The John Birch Society (http://www.jbs.org/)
April 1, 2008
H.R. 2905, The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.2905:), introduced June 28, 2007 by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), would prohibit the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) from reinstating the so-called Fairness Doctrine, a former FCC policy that the agency revoked in 1987. The policy required broadcasters to air contrasting viewpoints about controversial issues of public importance (as decided by FCC bureaucrats) or risk losing their license. It was a counterproductive policy that did not make the public more informed as intended. Broadcasters were intimidated into avoiding controversial issues rather than risk offending the politicized FCC. While the Fairness Doctrine was enforced both Democrat and Republican administrations used the FCC to silence political opposition on the airwaves.
According to Rep. Pence, "The Broadcaster Freedom Act… would ensure that no future President could regulate the airwaves of America without an act of Congress."
By the mid 1980s the FCC concluded there was no reason to continue enforcing the Fairness Doctrine, because it discouraged free speech on the airwaves and the public had acquired sufficient access to opposing viewpoints through a growth in the number of broadcast outlets plus advances in technology. Neverthess, following the policy’s revocation intolerant radicals in Congress have repeatedly tried to pass legislation to require the FCC to regulate (once again) the opinion content aired by broadcasters. Then talk radio and religious broadcasters would be required to make air time available, possibly at their own expense, for others with opposing viewpoints.
H.R. 2905 was introduced in the House on June 28, 2007 and was immediately referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The bill has been held up in the committee stage since its introduction. On October 17, 2007 Rep. Pence filed Discharge Petition No. 110-3 to force the release of H.R. 2905 from committee and allow an up or down vote by the House. To be successful a discharge petition requires the signatures of a majority of House members (218). The petition needs two dozen more signers.
OUR POSITION
Reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine would repress the free speech of broadcasters and thus violate the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We support legislation that would prevent the policy from returning.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Confirm whether your congressman is among the 194 published signers of Discharge Petition No. 110-3 (http://clerk.house.gov/110/lrc/pd/Petitions/Dis3.htm).
If your congressman has not signed the discharge petition, check to see if your congressman is among the 204 co-sponsors of H.R. 2905 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2905). [Click the "show co-sponsors (204)" link]
If your congressman is a co-sponsor of H.R. 2905, but has not yet signed the discharge petition for it, ask why not and urge your congressman to sign Discharge Petition No. 110-3 for the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007, H.R. 2905.
If your congressman is neither a co-sponsor of H.R. 2905 nor a signer of Discharge Petition No. 110-3, please urge your congressman to sign the petition, especially if in the summer of 2007 he or she voted in favor of amendment H.AMT.484, Roll Call 599 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2007-599), which temporarily stalled funding for enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine should it be reinstated this year. Find out for certain whether your congressman truly opposes the Fairness Doctrine or was merely posturing through their vote in favor of that amendment. Is your representative willing to sign the discharge petition?
E-mail this link to others in your sphere of influence and ask them to voice support to their congressman for Discharge Petition 110-3 for The Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007, H.R. 2905.
Click here (http://capwiz.com/jbs/issues/alert/?alertid=11143581) to take action on this issue.
ADDITIONAL READING
Fairness Doctrine Update (http://mikepence.house.gov/ConstituentServices/fairnessdoctrine.htm), from the office of Congressman Mike Pence
The Fairness Doctrine: An Archaic Policy That Violates the First Amendment (https://www.aclj.org/Media/PDF/ACLJFairnessDoctrinememo_08012007.pdf), (PDF file)
from The American Center for Law & Justice, August 1, 2007
A letter by FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin about the “Fairness Doctrine” (http://mikepence.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Kevin%20Martin%20Letter%207-23-07.pdf) (PDF file)
The Media Cartel (http://www.jbs.org/epublish/2/v19n3), The New American, February 10, 2003, a special edition
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/node/7618