Will talk radio be a thing of the past?

**Retmilleo909** · 11-13-08, 07:56 PM

Do you think that talk radio, which some democrats refer to as pornography, on the way out?
Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage, Neal Boortz, Imus and others are a thorn in the democrats side and they're out to get them with what they call a fairness doctrine regulated by the FCC.

**Odd** · 11-13-08, 08:39 PM

Callers to a local show cohosted by the station manager have asked about the fairness doctrine. His impression from talk within the industry is if such a law was passed an injunction would be easily obtained until the law could be taken to the SC and shredded. True, this is a small town station manager's view, but unlike the national voices he's approaching it from an industry view, not a political one.

That said, let's play speculation theatre.

If the Fairness Doctrine was to come back and stand up to review :
Goodbye AM radio. The explosion of talk radio took a limping industry and gave it new life. Take away talk and it's back where it was to start, only worse. Fewer consumer devices support AM than in the past, consumers have access to better quality music from a variety of sources and FM doesn't have listeners to spare. The 24/7 news cycle became established during the talk radio era of AM (late 80's to present) so that utility is also less.

Sirius/XM execs jump for joy. If conservative voices are shoved off public airwaves the market for satellite radio just expanded. Maybe they could even turn a profit, though I have my doubts.

New surge in internet 'broadcasting' and today you wouldn't be tied to a computer to listen, even with live content. Smart phones are becoming ever more popular. You can't get Rush on your local station anymore? Why just get the Limbahlator app for your phone. Standard data charges apply on your end, but the content would likely still be free - ad driven as before.

**countybear** · 11-13-08, 08:49 PM

Isn't it ironic that an attempt at government intrusion labeled 'the fairness doctrine' is a tool by which government seeks to deprive the first amendment rights of those with whom they disagree?

Any wonder why I refer to them as 'hypocrats'?

**CTR man** · 11-13-08, 09:23 PM

God I hope not, its about the only thing I listen to and it keeps me sane. There is also Laura Ingraham and Dr Laura Schlesinger. The thing is, in my opinion, the Democrats don't have anything that I know of on any of the AM stations and they are jealous and they can't take being slammed. Maybe they have something on Sirius or XM. Seems that I remember something about NPR? Of course we all know that they hate Fox News but that is the only news station that I will listen to. Personally, I think they want to control us.

Oops, I just found out that Laura Ingraham is of the air at the moment. Or is she? I hope she comes back soon if she is off the air.

**Xiphos** · 11-13-08, 09:38 PM

They will implement it when Obama reinstates his appointee to the FCC. It will be 3 to 2 and it will be implemented.

Shortly thereafter there will be lawsuits and injunctions tying it up in court.

Even more people will then tune into conservative talk radio to see what all the hubbub is about.

Talk radio hosts will make even more money as their audience grows from curiosity among the public.

Eventually the doctrine will be shut down and it will be back to business as usual.

If, for some weird reason, talk radio is shut down, their audience will go to satellite radio and the internet. Their message will still get out there.

**Five-0** · 11-13-08, 09:38 PM

In every military coup of a foriegn country that I have witnessed the first objectives of those seizing power are facilities of communication. If you control the sources of information you by default can gain control of the free flow of information. Once you control the very information being circulated to the people you control the political playing field. That which is fact is broadcast through the filter set forth by those that control the means of the broadcast. Our founding fathers recognized the printing press as the means of communicating with the masses. The term "the public airwaves" is a farse of those wishing to increase their power by controlling the very information that is communicated to the masses.

To answer your question, yes. This is one of several areas that I think the Democrats will attempt to over reach. Notice I say "attempt" to over reach.

**Caveman** · 11-13-08, 10:07 PM

So in the spirit of all this are they also going to shutdown liberal network news programs and big liberal journalist newspapers? How about Oprah?? They going to silence her big fat liberal agenda bias spewing mouth under the "Fairness Doctrine"?

**CTR man** · 11-13-08, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Caveman

So in the spirit of all this are they also going to shutdown liberal network news programs and big liberal journalist newspapers? How about Oprah?? They going to silence her big fat liberal agenda bias spewing mouth under the "Fairness Doctrine"?

Or how about "The View" ?

**213th** · 11-13-08, 11:15 PM

They will only shut down the ones that aren't liberal/pro-demoRAT. The ones that are will have some sort of loophole so they can spew their vile filth

**countybear** · 11-13-08, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Xiphos

They will implement it when Obama reinstates his appointee to the FCC. It will be 3 to 2 and it will be implemented.

Shortly thereafter there will be lawsuits and injunctions tying it up in court.

Even more people will then tune into conservative talk radio to see what all the hubbub is about.

Talk radio hosts will make even more money as their audience grows from curiosity among the public.

Eventually the doctrine will be shut down and it will be back to business as usual.

If, for some weird reason, talk radio is shut down, their audience will go to satellite radio and the internet. Their message will still get out there.

Excellent projection. I concur.

Persecution spreads a message like wildfire.

**MacLean** · 11-14-08, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by Five-0

In every military coup of a foriegn country that I have witnessed the first objectives of those seizing power are facilities of communication.

That, and you have to disarm the populace.

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist though - even the messiah doesn't have that sort of political capital with his election results, because they know the conservatives sat this one out.

**Five-0** · 11-14-08, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by maclean

That, and you have to disarm the populace.

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist though - even the messiah doesn't have that sort of political capital with his election results, because they know the conservatives sat this one out.

I wasn't trying to project a conspiracy theory, just showing a parallel. You know, the whole those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it thing.