May we be permitted to speak? (radio and the former Fairness Doctrine)

Reverse_Vampyr linked to this:

Chicago radio station WGN-AM is again coming under attack from the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama for offering airtime to a controversial author.

It is the second time in recent weeks the station has been the target of an "Obama Action Wire" alert to supporters of the Illinois Democrat.

Monday night's target was David Freddoso, who the campaign said was scheduled to be on the station from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Chicago time.

"The author of the latest anti-Barack hit book is appearing on WGN Radio in the Chicagoland market tonight, and your help is urgently needed to make sure his baseless lies don't gain credibility," an e-mail sent Monday evening to Obama supporters reads.

"David Freddoso has made a career off dishonest, extreme hate mongering," the message said. "And WGN apparently thinks this card-carrying member of the right-wing smear machine needs a bigger platform for his lies and smears about Barack Obama -- on the public airwaves."

The Daily Kos published the full text of the Obama Action Wire:

The author of the latest anti-Barack hit book is appearing on WGN Radio in the Chicagoland market tonight, and your help is urgently needed to make sure his baseless lies don't gain credibility.

David Freddoso has made a career off dishonest, extreme hate mongering, even calling legislation to protect people from hate crimes the "Thought Police."

And WGN apparently thinks this card-carrying member of the right-wing smear machine needs a bigger platform for his lies and smears about Barack Obama -- on the public airwaves.

Freddoso will be on WGN tonight from 9:00 to 11:00 to promote his new attack book against Barack.

Tell WGN that by providing Freddoso with airtime, they are legitimizing baseless attacks from a smear merchant and lowering the standards of political discourse.

Call into the "Extension 720" show with Milt Rosenberg at (312) 591-7200

(Show airs from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. tonight)

Then report back on your call at http://my.barackobama.com/...

A couple weeks ago, we asked you to call into Rosenberg's radio show when he hosted unapologetic smear artist Stanley Kurtz' incoherent rantings about Barack and William Ayers.

And you responded. Rosenberg's producer said the flood of calls and emails the show received was the biggest response ever for something like this.

Calling will only take a minute, and it will make a huge difference if we show that our grassroots movement can go toe-to-toe with their media smear machine.

Confront Freddoso tonight before this goes any further:

http://my.barackobama.com/...

Please forward this email to everyone you know who can make a call tonight.

Keep fighting the good fight,

Obama Action Wire

On the one hand, Obama was encouraging legitimate political expression by phoning into a talk show. But the implications of some of the statements were troubling:

WGN apparently thinks this card-carrying member of the right-wing smear machine needs a bigger platform for his lies and smears about Barack Obama -- on the public airwaves....

Tell WGN that by providing Freddoso with airtime, they are legitimizing baseless attacks from a smear merchant and lowering the standards of political discourse.

Was the campaign trying to tell the radio station to shut up?

Forget about the politics of the issue, because I wouldn't be surprised if the McCain campaign has also discouraged a media outlet from airing a particular view. And remember that Obama is correct in referring to "the public airwaves," since WGN receives a license from the Federal government, and thus has the privilege of broadcasting.

What are the obligations of a licensed radio station when views are presented?

Back in the past, when the Fairness Doctrine was applied, the answer would be easy - let Freddoso speak, then give "equal time" to someone who disagreed with his views.

And presumably in a large market such as Chicago, one station could spend all of its time airing Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, while another station could spend all of its time airing Air America or whatever they call themselves now.

So, frankly, I have no problem if WGN chooses to air the Alaskan Independence Party, or the Peace and Freedom Party, or whoever, since there are other radio stations in Chicago that air opposing views.

The only situation that would worry me would be a small market, where perhaps only one or two stations are available to the listener. This could be taken care of via legislation (which both Reagan and Bush 41 opposed), or it could be taken care of by the radio station's own standards and practices.

But we should, and must, allow all points of view to speak.

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