FCC: Fairness Doctrine Is Dead For Good

The Federal Communications Comission (FCC) announced today that it had eliminated 83 outdated rules in order to streamline business. Among the rules removed was the “fairness doctrine,” the long-dormant policy that political views required mandatory balance in the media.

In a letter, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said, “The elimination of the obsolete Fairness Doctrine regulations will remove an unnecessary distraction. As I have said, striking this from our books ensures there can be no mistake that what has long been a dead letter remains dead. The Fairness Doctrine holds the potential to chill free speech and the free flow of ideas and was properly abandoned over two decades ago.”

While Democrats like President Obama have never shown any indication of re-instating the Fairness Doctrine, Republicans and conservatives have regularly falsely claimed this was part of his agenda. There are a few liberals who would like to see the policy return.