Democrats Balk At Return Of Fairness Doctrine

Reps Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) tried to take some of the edge off the growing flap over possible re-imposition of the fairness doctrine, the defunct Federal Communications Commission regulation that required stations to air both sides of controversial issues. Rep Van Hollen, a rising star in the Democratic Party who as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was responsible for getting more Dems election to the House, said that even if Democrats wanted to reimpose the doctrine—he did not say whether or not he wanted them to—technology may have moved beyond that kind of regulation. "Right now, I think you have such a proliferation of media," he said, that "I think it is increasingly difficult to try and put sort of quotas on political speech over any medium. I think that would be the challenge anyone would face if they wanted to try and do that...As far as I know it will not be the first order of business if it is ever part of the agenda."