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Christian Broadcasters Rip Schumer Over Fairness Doctrine
November 6, 2008 at 5:24 AM (PT)
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A press release from NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS issued WEDNESDAY voiced concern over remarks by Sen. CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY) favoring a return of the "Fairness Doctrine."
SCHUMER told FOX NEWS' BILL HEMMER that the FCC should regulate political speech the way it regulates pornography, leading to NRB SVP/General Counsel CRAIG PARSHALL saying, "I was stunned by Sen. SCHUMER's suggestion that by keeping filth off the air, the federal government has somehow become empowered to take over the control of legitimate programming content of broadcasters. That paints a very grim picture for the future of broadcasting freedoms, particularly for Christian broadcasters.
"We see nothing inconsistent about permitting the FCC to rid the airwaves of that kind of gratuitous indecency that Justice SCALIA referred to in oral argument as having contributed to the 'coarsening' of America, but at the same time opposing, as NRB has, the return of the dreaded Fairness Doctrine. Free speech should never be sacrificed on the altar of a false choice."