A competitive market only sucks when you suck at being competitive, successful and persuasive. Hell if i sucked at everything that had to do with making money than i would want a fairness doctrine shoved up my ass if only to get back at the people who are actually good at what they do. I have a friend who hates girls. He hates girls because girls don't like him. I bet he would love girls being thrown at him for his own liking. I have a friend who sucks at trading and usually gets worse and worse. He hates trading. I bet he would love if the trading god came down and gave him successful trades day in and day out. Liberals commentators have horrible ratings when it comes to giving knowledgable opinions about politics and policies. I bet they would love if the government gave them their own special time. Liberal politicians hate it that they can't instantly turn the nation and constitution into their own sweet perfect little land of equal pay and government programs. If only they could find ways of increasing the liberal population through increased illegal immigration and dumbed down education systems. Oh wait they already do that. SOCIALISM= making it look like you don't suck as much as you really do.
Fairness doctrine prevents the gullible masses from being poisoned by intellectual drug dealers such Limbaugh&Co. For example, talk radio is not a proper venue for discussing global warming.
Why can't the liberal shows compete in a fair market? Who is the government to determine what is "fair" and not fair when it comes to political discourse? I know it's a popular concept in China, North Korea and Russia, it's sad to see that it is becoming popular in America.
Some people will say and do anything for ratings. Anything. Others may have a bit more integrity. Perhaps the idea is not to squelch the modicum of integrity that may be out there.
Uh yeah sure that must be it. Politicians in both parties are concerned care greatly about integrity. Yep, must be that.
There is a concept of "demagoguery" the "Big lie" and "delusion of masses". Founding fathers (specifically madison) were concerned about possibility of the masses being swayed by smooth talking demagogues. The masses can be easily manipulated. Because of it, allowing individuals to benefit financially from poisoning people's minds is ill advised.
That's blatantly over the top. It just ensures accessibility to viewpoint options. It actually serves to protect you from the very thing you accuse it of.