Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site whuts.UUCP
Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuts!orb
From: orb@whuts.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: McIntyre and the Fairness Doctrine
Message-ID: <466@whuts.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-Jan-86 10:45:04 EST
Article-I.D.: whuts.466
Posted: Tue Jan  7 10:45:04 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Jan-86 19:49:33 EST
References: <510@enmasse.UUCP> <2002@akgua.UUCP> <1073@brl-tgr.ARPA>, <462@whuts.UUCP> <296@pyuxii.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 41

> To begin, the so-called fairness doctrine was put to rest by the
> FCC several years ago in an effort to get the government off the
> private sector's back.  The only real control the FCC maintains
> is the regulation of frequency allocation in order to keep down
> the overriding of stations.  In your argument against the Rev
> Mac., you fail to mention the other side of the coin in that
> radio station WBAI in New York kept its license although they
> were under the gun for exactly the same infractions of the rules,
> but from the other side.  That action leaves me to wonder why
> everything the current administration does is labeled facist
> by Sevener, yet the self same administration cut the legs from
> under Rev Mac., yet only gave WBAI, a supposed commie front,
> was given the green light?
> T. C. Wheeler

Living in the New York area I have had the opportunity to listen to
WBAI.  While they definitely have a leftist slant they are not 
exclusively leftist.  Their news reports are often very good - I
have seen them confirmed frequently in other media.  Moreover
they are in general open to the public, which is in line with
their community-based approach.  They have many call-in shows
which allow all viewpoints the opportunity to express themselves.
And I have heard some real right-wing nuts call in to WBAI
about "nuking the Reds", nuking Libya and so forth.
As usual with the diverse and generally democratic left there
are frequent divergences of opinion between announcers at
WBAI.  Something which I doubt occurred with Rev. McIntyre 
and his total control of programming.
 
Most "leftist" organizations I have been in have if anything 
suffered from too much democracy.  Committees have generally
been elected and policies are voted on by the full membership.
It is interesting to contrast this with Jerry Falwell's
chortling remark that there was no way the newfound "Liberty
Federation" would ever take a position contrary to the 
"Moral Majority" since he was the president of both.
One could never make such a remark of any of the "leftist"
organizations I have been in since such organizations have
frequently had policy debates and differences which had to be
brought to a vote by the membership.
         tim sevener   whuxn!orb