PenceBlog: <i>The Hill</i> on the Fairness Doctrine - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence : 6th District Of Indiana

The Hill has a front page story on Democrat efforts to bring back the Fairness Doctrine and House Republican efforts, led by Congressman Pence, to stop them.

Excerpts:

“It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “I have this old-fashioned attitude that when Americans hear both sides of the story, they’re in a better position to make a decision.”

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To halt the growing momentum in Congress to balance conservative radio programming, House lawmakers are preparing to introduce legislation this week that would codify the FCC’s 1985 decision to abandon the Fairness Doctrine.

Rep. Mike Pence (R), who worked as a syndicated talk radio host in Indiana before winning election to the House, is the main sponsor of the legislation. He is working with Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), a radio station owner, on the bill.

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Pence hopes to rally colleagues around the issue with a speech that he plans to deliver on the House floor today.

“Since the demise of the Fairness Doctrine, talk radio has emerged as a dynamic forum for public debate and an asset to the nation,” Pence wrote in his prepared remarks. “Unfortunately, in the name of fairness, there has been much talk in recent days about the need to level the playing field of radio broadcasting by restoring the Fairness Doctrine.

“Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves,” he wrote.

posted by Pence Press Office # 6:35 PM