Update: A Terrible Week for Free Speech

From the Media Research Center

In the House, Congressmen Mike Pence and Greg Walden made two separate attempts to get the Broadcaster Freedom Act (BFA) passed. This is a newly rewritten BFA - expanded to address not only of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s reimposition of the Censorship Doctrine, also mis-known as the “Fairness” Doctrine, but also the new potential threat of “localism” enforcement being used to stifle speech.

Twice the Congressmen were thwarted by the Majority, despite an overwhelming response from Americans who rallied to the phones to demand of their Representatives a full, fair up or down vote for the bill...

...Also on Wednesday, the final two FCC Commissioner nominees had their confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. They are Democrat Mignon Clyburn (daughter of South Carolina Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn) and Republican Meredith Baker (daughter-in-law of James A. Baker III).

Sadly, much like the June 16th hearing for now-confirmed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, there was no in-depth probing of the nominees on the issues now most threatening to free speech on the airwaves – “localism” and “media diversity.” There was the pro forma “Fairness” Doctrine question, which Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison again teed up for the nominees to pummel.

And the entire process from the beginning was a fait d’accompli, with nearly every Senator in attendance declaring in their opening statements the relish with which they looked forward to voting to confirm.