THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE, TALK RADIO AND THOMAS PAINE - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil." From Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Common Sense , a simple pamphlet that helped forge a nation and defeat an Empire. Thomas Paine first published Common Sense in January of 1776. This spark written as a condemnation of British rule over the Colonies simply by its immense popularity was a key contributor to the American Revolution which gave birth to our Nation.

The pamphlet in its denunciation of British rule was not very popular with the The British Parliament, King George nor with British authority in the Colonies. Though unpopular and a pronounced challenge to the authority and governing of Britain over America, London nor local Governors or any other British authority in the Colonies prevented the publication or distribution of this spark to Revolution.

The pamphlet expressed the desires and will of the American Colonies and the people while openly condemning the oppressive rule of the British Government. Its popularity in and of itself was its success and its legacy.

Common Sense is surfacing in another sense today in the form of Conservative Talk Radio. During any given week tens of millions of American Citizens listen to Talk Radio and through the availability of telephone have an opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions to millions of listeners.

Hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Neal Boortz and Mike Gallagher who are Nationally Syndicated and literally hundreds of local hosts discuss many of the pressing issues that we as a nation face today.

Not one listener is forced to turn their radio on each day and listen to their favorite Host or Hosts. Not one listener who calls into a show to express their opinion or outrage over issues are coached as to what to say or think. Millions of average Americans have in Talk Radio a venue in which they can express their views, listen to the issues and vent their outrage at Government.

Liberals are livid in their disgust of Conservative Talk Radio because the Hosts and listeners express an opinion that is contrary to theirs. As such there is a movement in the Democrat Congress to re-introduce the Fairness Doctrine which basically legislates that any station that airs an opinion oriented program such as Rush Limbaugh must by law give equal time to an opposing opinion.

Having spent more than twelve years in Radio, I know from experience that this move will bring the demise of Conservative Talk Radio. Every for profit Radio Station in the country is advertising driven. The Station provides the programing that is most popular with its given audience and in turn sells advertising that runs during station programing. This is how a Radio Station makes money.

Conservative Talk Radio is a huge money maker for Radio Stations and in fact because of its popularity some of the big boys like Rush can actually charge the station for the program and the station makes enough profit from the sale of advertising to pay for the show and fill the station coffers also.

The reason is because the audience that choose to listen is large enough to bring in the bucks to advertisers. That is the free market at its best! Liberal Talk radio has failed because it cannot bring in an audience nor the bucks to warrant the air time on a station. If it did stations would be knocking down the doors to air things like, Air America, etc.

The Fairness Doctrine in its legislation of the airways demanding equal time for opposing opinion would force stations to drop Conservative Talk Radio because of having to provide free airtime to the opposition. Financially it would be a disaster for the station to be forced to provide equal time. As such Conservative Talk Radio programing would be replaced with formats that did not have to provide equal time.

The Immigration Bill that is currently being revived in the Senate has brought new light to the possibility of the Fairness Doctrine because Conservative Talk Radio has given a very loud forum to the millions of Americans that are opposed to the legislation. Additionally Talk Show Hosts have revealed to the American People the details of the bill which Congress had been trying to more or less keep under wraps.

Senators Hillary Clinton and Barbara Boxer were over heard last week By Senator Daniel Inhofe (R, OK), conversing about how Conservative Talk Radio needed to be, "dealt with," by legislation. Because of the tremendous outcry against this bill by the public which has caused the power hungry in Washington to have to answer to the American People instead of ram-rod this legislation through the Senate, even Republicans like Trent Lott and Lindsay Graham have condemned Talk Radio stating that Talk Radio has , "controlled, " the country too long because it has given a forum that questions Congressional authority.

This is exactly why Conservative Talk Radio is Common Sense for the Nation in 2007. Just as Thomas Paine's pamphlet sparked the American Revolution which brought down the oppression of the British Government over the Colonies, Talk Radio is bringing light to the oppressive nature and the over burdensome control of the Federal Government on today's society.

Because of the massive popularity of Conservative Talk Radio and the threat that its popularity poses to liberals in Washington and the additional threat that its ability to rally the American People to prevent the Congress from usurping the will of the people Talk Radio is in danger of suffering a fate that Common Sense did not under British rule . The British who did not like Common Sense, did not prevent it. Liberals and those who fear the loss of their power in Washington are moving to stop Talk Radio and destroy freedom of speech and dissension of government.

Ken Taylor