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FREE MARKET II Liberals fear the free market because they do not trust the individual. By definition, Liberals believe that the common man is not wise enough, not fit enough to make the best decisions not only for himself, but also for the greater community. Rather, they believe that only a select, relative few are fit to lead and govern. The Fairness Doctrine has been in the news lately, and the theory behind it is foolish and flawed. Under the Fairness Doctrine, equal time for opposing viewpoints would have to be given on all radio programming. The arbiters of right, left, center and fairness have yet to be named.
But now politicians in Washington want to limit Conservative radio broadcasts to the public. "It's not fair," they say, "that Conservative talk shows make up 90% of the radio programming in America today." Never mind that Liberal talk radio has had every opportunity to succeed with AirAmerica (both a first and a second attempt) and various local programming. Liberal talk radio has received outside funding, free advertising time, and low-cost/free stations and has still been a market failure. The American public, by and large, has voted with their radio dial to say that they prefer Conservative programming. (Would that Congressional elections turn out the same way.) When two competing products are on the market and one of them enjoys 90% market share, the 10% group doesn't get the benefit of whining. They either gladly take the 10% they've got, or they pack up and go home. Your choice, Liberals. Some Conservatives have made the point that if radio is to be subject to the Fairness Doctrine, then why not television, as well? For instance, NBC could have offered balance to their Live Earth coverage, or Katie Couric could offer balance each evening on the CBS Evening News. This is amusing in jest, but if these Conservatives are serious, they're missing the point. The free market should be allowed to operate . . . in all aspects of the U.S. economy. Let NBC, CBS and the rest run whatever programming they'd like. In fact, the free market is operating with regard to the big three broadcast networks: their ratings are down; America is changing the channel. Day after day on the radio, more listeners are choosing Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, Michael Medved, Laura Ingram, Dennis Prager, Hugh Hewitt, Quinn & Rose, Neil Boortz and Bill O'Reilly. Fewer listeners are choosing Thom Hartmann, The Lionel Show with Hiawatha Lipschitz, Randi Rhodes (have you listened to her screeching?), Ed Schultz, The Young Turks (?) and Al Franken. This doesn't mean these Liberal talkers should be kicked off the air. If they want "equal time", legislation isn't the way to do it. Producing a program that listeners want is the way to go, and Liberal radio has fallen flat.
Liberals don't believe that the average American is capable of responsibly choosing his/her programming and making competent decisions. Liberals are afraid of an informed public. They fear what happens when Americans listen to Conservative radio programming: the other side of the issue is heard. Liberals would like nothing more than an ignorant, dependent public for themselves to govern . . . that's how they view us already: as unfit to govern ourselves. There's nothing fair about the Fairness Doctrine. It's a way for Liberals to legislatively level the playing field and subvert the free market. Americans have spoken with their Walkmans and car stereos. They've tuned into Conservative programming by the millions, and they've changed the station away from Liberal programming. Given a voice on the Fairness Doctrine legislation, Americans will change that station, too. 7/16/2007 |
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