FCC Chairman to Strike Fairness Doctrine from FB, June 9 2011

Eric W. DolanRaw Story
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said Monday he will strike the Fairness Doctrine from the agency’s rulebook under pressure from House Republicans.

“I fully support deleting the Fairness Doctrine and related provisions from the Code of Federal Regulations, so that there can be no mistake that what has been a dead letter is truly dead,” Genachowski wrote in a letter (PDF) to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).

The chairman said the rule, which required broadcasters to present opposing views of controversial issues, “holds the potential to chill free speech and the free flow of ideas and, accordingly, was properly abandoned.” The rule was introduced in 1949, but the FCC ceased enforcing it in 1987. However, the doctrine is still technically on the agency’s rulebooks.

The letter was in response to concerns from House Republicans that the Fairness Doctrine could be revived in the future.

Full article here