Congressman Maurice Hinchey:
Champion of the Fairness Doctrine

A Long Time Fairness Doctrine Proponent

Hinchey has been the champion of legislation known as “MORA” — the Media Ownership and Reform Act. The first provision of this bill would reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine.”  MORA contains the new “Stealth” Fairness Doctrine as well — requiring the FCC to promote “localism” and mandate diversity in ownership.

MORA would also put a cap on how many radio stations a company can own, place a similar cap on television ownership and require more ‘independent’ programming. Hinchey has gone on national TV to defend his leadership of and support for the “Fairness Doctrine” — even going toe to toe with Sean Hannity.

Charges of ‘Facism’

At a conference on media reform in Tennessee during the last session of Congress covered by RAW STORY, Hinchey’s comments were simply astounding. Hinchey stated “Media Reform is the most important issue confronting the democratic republic and the people of our country,” He then said that talk radio has become dominated by shows that are “right wing, even neo-fascist,” adding that even the best newspapers gave readers a “con job” by reporting false information fed by the [Bush] administration.

According to RAW Story, Hinchey believes the takeover of the U.S. media has been carefully calculated by the “political right wing,” starting with the abolition in 1987 of the Fairness Doctrine. “Fascist government dominated discussions in Europe. They could now broadcast all over and control all information going out. That’s how they took over governments in Spain and Italy,” Hinchey recalled.

Forced Coverage of Extreme Positions

Hinchey’s interview with conservative TV host Tucker Carlson was equally shocking. Carlson asked Hinchey that if under the “Fairness Doctrine” networks would be required to give a person who denied the Holocaust equal airtime. Hinchey responded, “Any particular point of view that you have, if somebody has an alternative point of view, then there is a responsibility to give that point of view an opportunity to be heard.”

In numerous follow-up statements in the exchange, Hinchey never said that a person who denied the Holocaust would not be required. Can you imagine an enormous government bureaucracy monitoring thousands of radio broadcasts across the country fielding calls from extremists demanding their positions be heard?

Pledge to Reintroduce “Fairness Doctrine”

Hinchey recently told CNN we would reintroduce his media reform legislation with the Fairness Doctrine.  He has a special section on MORA on his website.

In a separate press release talking about the “Fairness Doctrine” on his website leads with the headline “Hinchey Vows to Reclaim Airwaves for Public.” Hinchey has also founded the Future of American Media Caucus. If Hinchey’s goals for “Media Reform” are achieved this future will look bleak: big government controlling media, yet another government bureaucracy and taking away one of our most basic and fundamental rights: the freedom of speech.