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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

‘Government Control Of News’ Reveals U.S. Censorship Threats

In his book, “Government Control of News: A Constitutional Challenge,” former NBC-TV legal counsel Corydon B. Dunham chronicles the government’s censorship of broadcast news. He warns of a pending proposal that could renew television and radio news censorship and increase official control of local news content.

A new Localism, Balance and Diversity Doctrine would authorize the FCC to revise local news to meet government administration views, Dunham says. Since the FCC is now transferring the broadcast spectrum to the internet, it could potentially control internet local news as well.

“Government Control,” which includes pages of carefully cited references, began as a study at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institute. Dunham did extensive research of records and witnesses to document the effects of the Fairness Doctrineand other television news censorship.

“The government justified the doctrine as a way to investigate and ensure stations aired opposing viewpoints on issues,” he says. “But if a complaint was made about a view that had been broadcast, the FCC could order that the view be changed or other views presented.”

Failure to comply could result in no license renewal.

In 1987, the FCC revoked the doctrine after the agency and courts found that it deterred news coverage of important issues, imposed censorship, chilled speech and prevented criticism of the administration.

But in 2008, the FCC released a proposed Localism Doctrine to force local TV news to satisfy government’s views on localism, balance and diversity. “It has many of the same characteristics of the old Fairness Doctrine,” Dunham says.

The new rule would have three presidentially-appointed federal commissioners authorized to change news reports and impose penalties, and an official local board for each station that could override the news judgment of local journalists. These boards would recommend loss of broadcast license for violations.

A special 2011 FCC report concluded the new doctrine would violate the public interest, but it remains pending.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of the things people need to educate themselves on is that in many cases the government will push a new law in the name of "safety, or fairness or equality". All of it will sound nice and sweet and oh yes something we should do.

But please people think outside the box. Think of any repercussions a law can have on society. I believe and have witnessed that many laws passed in the name of "social justice" actually discriminate. Case in point - welfare taxes used to pay for food and housing for the poor take from those working class folks who are barely making ends meet. And they are the ones who hurt from that.

Anonymous said...

Any history buff will tell you We are following the same path as Nazi Germany. The correlation shows history repeats itself.

Anonymous said...

That is rediculous 8:59. Now go back to bed.

Anonymous said...

What you say is true 8:59. More people need to study history so we don't repeat it.

Anonymous said...

The NDAA renewal formally legalized propaganda operations against the American public.

Remember Congress giving telecommunications companies retroactive immunity for turning over to the government any data that was requested, in order to "fight terrorism?"

The fact is, American news has been a psy op for quite a while. Make sure that you analyze any news piece critically before taking it as truth. "Opinion" stuff is especially dangerous.

Take all of the gun-control stuff that has been broadcast lately for example. Combine it with the children being suspended or expelled for even making gun shapes with their hand, playing with bubble guns, or discussing Nerf dart guns. Attorney General Eric Holder discussed changing the public's attitude towards guns and self defense, stating “We have to be repetitive about this. We need to do this every day of the week, and just really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way.”

Remember - this is just one example. There are countless others out there. If you don't consciously realize what is going on, you will be affected by it. Your mind is your personal defense against manipulation.

Anonymous said...

9:24 You are the one that needs to wake up. The communist loving far left radicals have control of two branches of our government and the majority of our media. They don't need to round us up in re-education camps, they bring the propaganda to us everyday in our homes on the boob-tube. When is the last time you heard anything even remotely non-supportive of this president on ABC, NBC, CBS and the other usual suspects. They are just the 4th branch of the corrupt government. Just for fun one day, go on the internet and find foreign news reports (not european, their media is the same as ours) on events in the United States. You will find out things you will never be told by our news (if you really care).

Anonymous said...

Wow, y'all better stay here on the Eastern Shore cuz you would be the laughing stock anywhere else in the world.

Anonymous said...

2:08
Do you feel better now? Did putting someone down inflate your own pathetic life? I moved here to the ES to get away from people like you! Stop following me.

Anonymous said...

2:08 = Example of brainwashed useless eater. Go pay some taxes and get a different perspective.