The Fairness Doctrine in Its Historical Context: A Symbolic Approach
The Fairness Doctrine is a policy of the Federal Communications Commission requiring broadcast licensees to seek out and cover controversial issues of public importance and to present such coverage fairly. In practice, this has meant that broadcast licensees have had to grant response time for opposing points of view whenever they have raised controversial issues of public importance. Supporters of the doctrine say that it provides at least some diversity of ideas in a profit-oriented broadcast system; critics say that it inhibits broadcasters from covering controversial issues and violates their first amendment rights.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign