Bills Would Block FCC on Fairness Doctrine

It didn't take long in the new Congress for Republicans to mount a fresh attempt to head off any bid by the Federal Communications Commission to revive the fairness doctrine, an old requirement that broadcasters have to provide equal time for competing political viewpoints. On the first day bills could be introduced, Senate Republicans offered two bills to prevent the FCC from acting. House Republicans offered one. The bills were introduced amidst fear by conservative talk-radio hosts that a new Democratic led FCC could reintroduce the requirement-impacting the ability of radio stations to run conservative talk shows. The FCC dropped the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. While it existed, the doctrine applied to TV stations as well as radio stations.