Imagine yourself as the owner of Ford Motor Company. You are doing very well as a car manufacturer, and you are turning out a bunch of excellent products that the public enjoys buying. But suddenly, the United States Government, in the name of Fairness and Equality, writes a doctrine which forces your company to manufacture your rival businesses General Motors and Chrysler's automobiles inside your factories, using your own tools, your own employees, and your valuable time. The mandate requires your company to give your rivals equal access and time to manufacture their products at YOUR EXPENSE! Your dealers are required to sell an equal number of their products to the public, and you bear the cost of delivering their products to your dealers' showrooms! At the same time, your rivals are not required to share any of their gains with you , in the name of equality. Also, your rivals do not have to give you equal access, since you are the owner of Ford Motor Company, and you have allegedly made a windfall profit at their expense, when they were doing poorly because of their own practices! If you don't comply with the Government mandate, you stand to lose your business, and perhaps you're risking going to prison for not complying.
Now, the above illustration sounds like some far fetched loony nightmare, doesn't it? However, it's not a joke! This nightmare is called The Fairness Doctrine! As of this moment, it looms over the radio industry, ready to snatch up the airwaves in the name of fairness to the left wing extremists. Political liberals have been clawing and scratching at a way to force their views onto the radio listening public, while waiting for the U.S. Government to act on giving them a handout at the expense of radio station owners. There is something that the Liberals don't want to acknowledge: THEIR PROGRAMMING IDEAS STINK! These folks had their chance with their liberal radio network AIR AMERICA, which has sunk into bankruptcy! Liberals like Randi Rhoades and her minions, along with a not so funny comedian Al Franken sank their own boats on the waves of competition. Yet these folks cry like a spoiled big bratty baby over the fact that Conservatives enjoy high ratings in radio.
HELLO! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Radio is a business! That's right, a business, and a huge one for that matter! What makes you liberals think that you have the right to force some radio station owner to run his or her business the way YOU want it to be run? Get this into your thick headed skulls: The Market determines how the radio business is run. The owner must decide on how the programming will be presented to the public. It's the business owner's interest to determine what will be aired, for he, she or they know what it takes in their market to make a profit and stay afloat! Just how fair is it to them if you barge into their facilities to use their equipment, their time, and their reputation to further your own agenda at their expense? Meanwhile, they get stuck with all the bills and perhaps some angry audience members (their customers) for the mess you leave behind at their expense!
Now, in case you fail to comprehend what I just said, let me bring up someone you just might remember from the Obama and McCain campaigns: "Joe The Plumber"! Now, let's say the Joe just completed a highly profitable job. Next, let's say the Government suddenly steps into his face, and tells him he must now have one of his rivals come in to do his next job that he already had lined up, just so that he would give his rival equality! Now, if you have some sane reasoning to justify something like that as fair, please tell me about it!
This is the exact type of restriction the Fairness Doctrine imposes on media business owners and employees! This is a dirty doctrine which restricts free speech and fair business practices. forcing a business to go against a sound business practice only ruins the pleasure that the public enjoys. Not only does it restrict good business, it can lead a media outlet to bankruptcy, and angry listeners who may lead some ugly public protests under extreme conditions.
Just say No to the Fairness Doctrine, if you know what's good for you! Remember that Radio Is A Business!
