Finally somebody else recognizes the crucial importance of the Fairness Doctrine! I’ve been railing on this since 2007, and I’ve never seen a correct understanding of the topic let alone an appreciation.
From Newsweek’s editor:
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In the post-Fairness Doctrine era, we have witnessed an unprecedented polarization of American media. Freed from the obligation to present differing perspectives, many media outlets have defaulted to presenting narratives through a singular ideological lens.
The end of the Fairness Doctrine isn’t the sole cause of media polarization, of course. The advent of social media and the algorithm-driven delivery of news, coupled with business incentives that prioritize engagement over balance, have exacerbated the divide. The outrage economy is a self-perpetuating system.
In the face of these challenges, it’s crucial to remember that the principles of the Fairness Doctrine, though no longer legally enforced, needn’t be abandoned. Instead, we should strive to voluntarily integrate these principles into our journalistic practices. By emphasizing fairness, balance and a representation of diverse viewpoints in our reporting, we can begin to counteract the rampant polarization that currently plagues our media and, by extension, our public discourse.
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It’s easy to experience the difference. Just listen to any radio or TV news or drama or comedy from the 40s or 50s. You could often tell from voice tone and expression that all announcers and actors were Democrats, but they had to carefully restrain their language. No shibboleths, no dog whistles or cat whistles. FCC was always monitoring and always ready to pounce.
Unfortunately a voluntary approach can’t work. The only cure for bad censorship is good censorship.
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Further: Sounds like Newsweek is embarking on a campaign to regain trust. We’ve heard this crap before. They will need to work EXTREMELY hard to turn the battleship around. So far I’m not seeing much evidence in their other articles, which follow the mainstream line on Russia and Israel and “global warming”. I know what FD looks like, and Newsweek isn’t there yet. Not by a LONG shot. Their intention appears to be serious, so I’ll give them a chance. Briefly, with a low tolerance threshold.
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Okay, done. That was fast. I paid a dollar to subscribe in case there was something worthy behind the paywall. Looked around, didn’t see anything more than the free version. Pure Deepstate, pure shit. Pro-Israel, anti-Russia, anti-working class, solid Gaian. Even MSN, proudly D and not claiming any level of balance, does a better job of carrying both sides. Newsweek claims balance, so they’re asking to be judged on their balance. I judged.
Polistra's Mill 