The Return To “Fairness”

Spare us the sanctimonious declarations that liberals embrace the free exchange of ideas. The fact they are repeating their assurances to the contrary, I’m prepared for the Fairness Doctrine to make a comeback in whatever new name they choose to give it.

FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell had a message for Democrats, or anyone else contemplating trying to re-impose the fairness doctrine: The move could undermine the justification for existing localism and children’s TV regulations, and could be used against public radio.

He also suggested it would not come back wearing a big sign saying, “it’s me, the fairness doctrine,” but would likely instead be rebranded. McDowell warned that if the doctrine were revived, it might not “wear the same label. That’s just Marketing 101: if your brand is controversial, make a new brand,” he told his audience.

Whether it be censorship of videos or radio content, the fact we’re repeatedly hearing this means Democrats are either clumsily trail-ballooning or are working behind the scenes to introduce legislation they know they can pass and are only now working on that re-branding.