Inside Tucson Business: Fairness Doctrine not so fair

Fairness Doctrine not so fair

By Lionel Waxman, Inside Tucson Business
Published on Saturday, November 29, 2008

If Jesus Christ were to appear personally today, he would undoubtedly have his own talk show on radio. After all, it is the premier outlet for talk and interactive idea exchange. He might even top the large audience Rush Limbaugh has.

Right now, you’ll have to settle for Neil Saaveda who plays Jesus Christ on the radio. The program, frankly and unabashedly named “The Jesus Christ Show,” is a phenomenon that is, as you might expect, meeting mixed reviews. Be that as it may, it is gathering a Sunday morning audience and gathering audiences is what radio is all about, not pleasing critics. The show airs on KNST 790-AM in Tucson.

There is surely a longing in a least part of the public for the ability to reach superior advice, divinely-inspired advice if not divine itself. Religions have “officials,” priests, ministers, rabbis, or imams who try to render such advice, but they do so in their own persona and usually face to face.

The talk radio medium reaches a far wider audience and yet retains the personal touch, especially when played in the first person.

Which will be the first network to bring you “The Divinity of Your Choice Show?” To talk to Jesus press 1, to talk to the God of Abraham, press 2 , to talk to Buddha press 3, to talk to Krishna press 4, to talk to Allah press 5…

Imagine how such a broadcast today would sound under the so-called Fairness Doctrine. Every time Jesus Christ came on the air, spokespersons for opposing views would have to be aired. They might even demand their own shows.

Would Jews channel God through Shecky Green? Would Muslims demand the right to air Mohammed? Who would speak adequately for the unborn? Would one of the anti-abortion groups sponsor John Edwards to play the part of an inconvenient fetus, counseling women faced with making such a momentous decision? He used to do something like that in court.

Surely Jesus is the one person politicians fear more than Rush Limbaugh, although the former has not made many personal appearances lately.

The Fairness Doctrine? It would do for satellite radio what its removal did for AM radio. Would all the conservative talkers migrate to satellite? If so it would be a big shot in the arm for satellite as conservatives rush out to buy satellite receivers and subscribe.

Then, of course there is Internet radio and TV with limitless channels for which most listeners are already equipped. But it doesn’t travel well. In any event, the Fairness Doctrine would almost certainly sign the death warrant for AM radio.

Perhaps when viewing the alternatives, regulators will back off the Fairness Doctrine. You can’t go home again. Everything has changed. Just reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine won’t generate the same result it did last time. The law of unintended consequences would certainly cause new outlets for conservative thought to flourish.

Contact Lionel Waxman at territorial@waxmanmedia.com or visit his website: www.waxmanmedia.com. Lionel Waxman’s Flashpoint commentaries are published in The Daily Territorial.