Posted by elektratig [ 205.188.116.67 ] on December 19, 2005 at 09:36:56:
In Reply to: At Last; the hardcore right-wing reactionary religiousos' are on the run. posted by Manualblock on December 18, 2005 at 08:58:49:
Mb,
I'm not sure who you're referring to in particular, but I gather that Fox News figures prominently in there somewhere. I'll address only one part of your post -- the complaint about "appropriating the citizens airspace."
What you really seem to be contending is that television channels are "the citizens['] airspace" in the sense that their content should be regulated by the government: unpopular or "irresponsible" (in your view) opinions should be suppressed.
Despite the obvious free speech implications, the government used to do precisely this, on the rationale that television channels were a limited resource that needed to be "balanced" -- even here in NYC we used to get, at most, seven channels. Advances in technology have rendered this model obsolete, however. The average citizen now receives scores or hundreds of channels. Alternate modes of communication, including internet sites maintained by both print and television news organizations, as well as political blogs, raise the number of readily available sources of political information into the thousands.
(As an aside, I must say that the internet is THE greatest boon to freedom of expression ever invented. The proliferation of political sites on the internet, from the far left to the far right, brings this country back to its roots, where early in its history every nut case printed broadsides, pamphlets, etc. It is more possible now than ever before to locate political views of every persuasion.)
At all events, whether regulation of the content of television was ever justified, there can be no basis for it now. Subject only to traditional First Amendment limits (yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre, libel, pornography, etc.), both traditional and cable channels should have the same rights to say what they want as newspapers (and you and I) have always had.
I may dislike and complain about the tripe that CBS news and The New York Times put out. It is my right to do so. You may dislike and complain about Fox News, and you too have that right. But all three likewise have the right to say what they want, and the government shouldn't censor them.
The answer to free speech is more free speech!
[ Tower Forum ] [ Help ]