# Will the ACLU Fight the "Fairness Doctrine"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-aclu-fight-the-fairness-doctrine/486649>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 20, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-aclu-fight-the-fairness-doctrine/486649 "2009-02-20T01:28:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-aclu-fight-the-fairness-doctrine/486649/81 "2009-02-22T20:37:56Z")

</div>

> [@Captain\_Amazing](#):
>
> In effect, it does, though. By saying that whenever an opinion is expressed on a matter of public policy, the station then has to find someone expressing a contrasting view, that a big incentive to stations just not to discuss public policy at all.

I’m not completely sure how the Fairness Doctrine was actually implemented by the broadcasters on a day-to-day basis, but I believe that they weren’t required to seek out someone to express opposing viewpoints, and they certainly weren’t required to air entire programs that had views 180 degrees opposite of their chosen programming (e.g. a station that broadcasts Limbaugh being forced to also broadcast Air America programming).

I thought that the stations in question simply had to allow people with opposing viewpoints a limited amount of time to present an editorial–and only at the request of the listener who wanted to editorialize.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-aclu-fight-the-fairness-doctrine/486649/82 "2009-02-22T20:45:23Z")

</div>

> [@What\_the](#):
>
> Care to lay out the journalists that are featured on PBS and NPR and their leanings to support your contention?

See, that was the great thing about the Fairness Doctrine. All those misguided Dittoheads out there who believe that NPR and PBS only present a liberal viewpoint would be allowed to present editorials on the air to give the right-wing rebuttal.

Of course, in this particular case it would be a laughable exercise in futility because there are all ready a number of right-wing commentators on NPR and PBS presenting the views of Conservatives far more coherently than any reactionary, knuckle-dragging, Dittohead ever could.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-aclu-fight-the-fairness-doctrine/486649.md?page=4)