Don't be a Dick!

Pictured Above: Dick Durbin,

Another Fine Illinois Politician.

As most of my readers are aware, the Fairness Doctrine was a law that greatly increased government intervention in the media by mandating that radio stations provide "countering viewpoints." Thankfully its reinstatement was voted down.

But Senator (D-IL) Dick Durbin responded by attaching an amendment that accomplishes almost every aspect of the Fairness Doctrine to a benign bill that would grant Washington D.C. a vote in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately the bill passed.

The stated purpose of the bill is to encourage "local ownership" and "diversity in media ownership." According to Durbin, “When we talk about diversity in media ownership, it relates primarily to gender, race and other characteristics of that nature.”

While I am somewhat sympathetic to "progressive" concerns about media consolidation, I am deeply troubled by the means that they seek to remedy this. Greater government intervention in the media is a path that the left and the right alike should be deeply concerned about. It will not lead to greater choice and we can be certain that decisions will be based far less on the perceived public good and far more on partisan power and political interests. And while you may be happy how the "enlightened" leader of today would wield this expanded power, you open the door for terrible abuses by tomorrow's leaders.

The Chicago Freedom Forum asks that you don't be a Dick (Durbin) and fight this dangerous move towards greater government control of the media.