Reader comments
Chaffetz fighting threats to talk radio

It's nice to see a real conservative working for us. Chaffetz tells it like it is and he is listening to his constituents. Unlike Chris "amnesty" Cannon, Chaffetz is working for U.S. citizens and not illegal aliens.

Why should Limbaugh be required to give the victims of his lies equal time? If he doesn't lie, there's no problem. That's simple.

Why do republicans defend the right to use the public's air waves to spread lies? They can't coexist with the truth?

You ended the fairness doctrine to turn radio in to your propaganda machine. The party is ending.

Great! Is this what we sent Chaffetz back to DC to do, deal with the same thing Cannon was dealing with? Great job 3rd District, we've elected someone who is doing 99% of what our last congressman was doing and we gained nothing.

We lost leadership and seniority for the same voting record.

Surely not Rush and Sean! Give me a break!

Perhaps the "Fairness" doctrine can be applied to MSNBC and NPR. It would be nice to have some balance to them and their bias.

"...what they perceive to be Democratic threats to talk radio."

The Republicans have not "perceived" anything. Sen. Shummer, from NY, has stated several times that he wants to reinstate the "censorship doctrine." If it was really about fairness as the dems state, they would ensure that their is fairness on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NY Times, LA Times, NPR, etc.

I am not a big fan of Hanity, I like Doug Wright better to listen to, but either way, I agree with Chaffetz on this. I don't see any reason to stop the "talk radio", as long as it isn't gov sponsored.

Can the liberal agenda be spoken on the radio if they want too. Why dont we have left wing talk shows as well? Serious question if anyone has the answer.

i want my free speech protected liberal thug!thats why our forbearers made free speech the first amendment!!!!!!!!!!!!you socialist liberals wont stop until you have totally destroyed my constitutional rights!the major networks and cable gave the marxist obama 100 times more publicity!you werent crying then were you?if you want slavery back and censorship,you are my enemy!!!!!!!!!give me liberty or give me death!!ever heard that before?probably not,patrick henry!

Yes, it's true. There are Liberals on talk radio with actual radio shows.

The problem is nobody wants to listen to them.

Besides the lib's always have CNN CBS,ABC,NBC,MSNBC,NYTIMES,LATIMES,CHRIS MATTHEWS LITTLE KEITH OLBEMAN,WaPo, OPRAH ELLEN, Huff Po, DU,.......

The right has Fox, Hannity, Rush, Ingraham, Beck. Sounds fair and balanced.

Go Jason!

The threats are real.

Those who dislike conservatives on the radio can change the station (to NPR), or watch TV where NBC, CPS, ABC, Public TV, MSNBC will give them all the liberal slant they can stand, with NONE of the conservative messages they dislike. Or, they can tune into FOX News and get both sides.

Interestingly, the rabidly leftist Air America was unable to get enough listeners or sponsors to be economically viable. Looks like the marketplace of ideas cannot sell liberalism, at least on radio.

Jason gets it, and is working for us. I am grateful!

Just as bad is the fact that the FCC requires T.V. cable companies to carry the antenna networks whether the customers want them or not. Even worse these T.V. stations, that provide their programming for free over the air, are allowed to charge the cable companies, and their customers, while the customers are not allowed to drop them. Cable companies in Utah for example are required to carry Channels 2, 4, 5, and 13 on their Basic tier and charge for it while providing it free over the air to those without cable. The cable customer cannot get out of paying for something that they may not even want.

Spanish Fork Cable is already warning of a price increase.

RE a question

The liberals control all three major networks, CNN, NPR, and every major newspaper in the country. The really don't need any more voice. But in answer to your question, they have tried their hand at AM talk radio and failed misreable. Nobody wanted to listen to their sophomoric rantings against the Republicans.

As usual, those who profit the richest from the status quo are loathe to change it. One way to preserve the status quo is to confuse and anger those actually involved in the conversation, so no action may be taken.

The problem isn't what people say on the radio, or even who says it. Free marketeers are correct on this point. The big lie is that there is no 'free market of ideas' if the same half dozen media conglomerates own the entire market from coast to coast. If every restaurant in the US were owned by McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's, would you expect anything but hamburgers when you eat out? If you order something from their menu that's not hamburger, can you expect it to be palatable? It's the same with radio. It's wholly owned by Giant Corporate America, and their menu will reflect what is best for Giant Corporate America.

We don't need to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. We need to reinstate regulations as to how many media instruments per market are allowed. Then see how the 'market of information' looks.

If people like Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck etc, aref orced to work under the fairness doctrine then woh will police the others? NPS, ABC, CBS, NBC. Is there really anyone that belices these coperations are fair?

If people want to listen to the conservitve shows then why should anyone else care? Find a liberal station or show and have at it. There is a freedom of speach issue here. Where does the government stop?

Taxes
Air
Food
Drugs
Social secrity
child care
housing
banking
IRS

On and on. Our government has overstepped everything that our founding fathers invisioned.

>>The liberals control all three major networks<<

On what planet?

NBC is owned by GE, a giant defense contractor. Real leftist threat, there.

ABC is owned by Disney. They gave us eight years of Pro Bush propaganda, and even produced a fantasy version of 9/11 blaming Clinton.

CBS, Dan Rather aside, is owned by AOL Time Warner, an outfit who put NeoCons and Jesus on their magazine covers at about the same rate.

You really need to turn off that AM radio and think for yourself. Eat something else besides hamburger.

Amen - the government needs to stay out of the business of communication and entertainment, they just mess it up like everything else they touch.

As a "liberal" I'm just a bit too smart to waste my time listening to a lying blowhard, no matter which side of the aisle he sits on. "Liberal" talk radio doesn't exist because we have better stuff to do...

To "Anonymous | 11:06 a.m." why do you only want to have conservative shows censored?

"Why should Limbaugh be required to give the victims of his lies equal time? If he doesn't lie, there's no problem." I am not sure what you mean by your possible answer to that question, but I will add a simple and clear answer. It is called Freedom of speach. Rush is not employed to give both sides of a story, or is even employed as a reporter. He is a political commentator, and is hired to give his point of view on what is going on.

"Why do republicans defend the right to use the public's air waves to spread lies? They can't coexist with the truth?" Republicans can coexist with truth and lies because what it gives us again is freedom. Freedom for its citizens to speak out against the government

Here is the analogy of the day. If you are listening to a Jazz game on the radio, do you want the commentators to say what the opposing team needs to do to win along with what the Jazz need to do? If not, why not?

Apparently the lack of integrity demonstrated by Limbaugh, Hannity etc. doesn't bother their listeners. NPR may have a liberal bias but to compare it to these other shows is plain asinine.

Limbaugh etc. hammer constantly on "liberals" they demonize everyone they disagree with. They're constantly negative - it's evil stuff. NPR has guest experts on the issues discussed. Who are the experts Rush has on his show?

I think he has to abuse drugs to live with his miserable self. Do yourself a favor and tune these losers out.