Obama’s “Cone of Silence” for Conservative Radio & Internet: Media Diversity Not for Diversity of Ideas, but for Diversity of Skin Color
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on May 27, 2009
UPDATE, JUNE 18, 2009: This just in from Brian Jennings, Big Hollywood: Incoming FCC Chairman: No Censorship. To quote Jennings in his article, “Be vigilant for free speech and let’s make sure Julius Genachowski is true to his word. And, watch out for the new wave of political correctness that has swept the world and is now taking stronger hold in America – legislation against hate speech. Who decides what is hateful? The National Hispanic Media Coalition has asked the FCC to investigate alleged hate speech by John and Ken of KFI, Los Angeles, Lou Dobbs of CNN, and Michael Savage of the Talk Radio Network. Beware of further assaults on broadcast speech rights.”
UPDATE: OCTOBER 21, 2009: Capitol Confidential: Even Left Groups Mobilize Against A Government Takeover of the Internet
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Original post, dated May 27, 2009, begins here:
'Get Smart' Cone of Silence... FCC & Obama administration trying to implement conservative 'cone of silence' for talk radio and Internet
Just like Agent Maxwell Smart’s Cone of Silence on the 1960s spy spoof Get Smart kept others from hearing him speak, the Obama administration is working diligently with an FCC-appointed panel to quietly launch its own version of a ‘”cone of silence” to stifle the voices of those who don’t agree with their agenda. Namely, conservatives and moderates.
After talk radio is cleansed and reflects only a “diversity of opinions” (i.e., primarily Obama’s and others in his realm), the Internet will be next on the chopping block. Obama has already appointed an Internet czar.
Some of you may be scoffing about now. Sounds a little too much like Orwell’s novel 1984, right, with the ominous “Big Brother” watching? I wish it were only fiction. The FCC’s ‘Media Diversity’ panel is a chilling reality. Control of media communication (television, radio, newspapers, Internet) by the government has been in place for years in China, Cuba, and other socialist countries. America could soon follow.
Rather than try to ram through another version of the “unfair” Fairness Doctrine, the subtlety of this “cone of silence” effort is crafted to be more clever in concealing its hidden agenda (well, it’s not too hidden or too clever, but it’s not as blatant to strong-arm silence any conservative ideas as the Fairness Doctrine was), keeping it below the radar of most Americans. Many people aren’t even aware this Obama takeover of AM radio is underway, since it isn’t being covered at all in the liberal mainstream media. Talk radio will also likely be devoid of Christian programs.
The 31 members of the FCC’s Advisory Committee On Diversity For Communications is made up of left-wing grievance groups and a few radio and television companies. No conservative groups, lobbyists, or companies are included in the bunch. So much for so-called diversity of ideas.
“Media Diversity” is the new “Fairness Doctrine.”
From a previous post here:
Radio Censorship, Round 1: FCC’s ‘Media Diversity’ Panel Chosen to Analyze Balance on Radio Airwaves Have No Conservatives on Committee… Where’s the Diversity?:
The “Fairness Doctrine” that Ronald Reagan abolished has been retooled and renamed “Media Diversity.” It is an affirmative-action scam, hoping to obscure its real intent. Minorities are not prevented from purchasing radio stations, nor are women, nor is any citizen.
There is no oppression. There is no bigotry. It’s all been contrived by the Obama administration.
If a black, or female, or Hispanic, or Asian wants to purchase or start up his or her own radio station, nothing is preventing that from happening. Yes, it takes money. But to own any business takes money, and usually, lots of it. But if Oprah Winfrey, Alex Rodriguez, Robert L. Johnson, Roberto Gouizeto, Arturo Torres, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jordan, Donald V. Watkins, Shaquille O’Neal, Will Smith, Whoppi Goldberg, Serena Williams, Marva Smalls, Richard D. Parsons, or any other citizen wants to buy a radio station and has the resources to do so, they CAN.
Brian Jennings has a well-documented, insightful article posted today on Big Hollywood, Obama’s Latest Assault on Conservative Talk; here’s a portion of it:
…When the New York ratings came out last fall, it showed conservative talk radio was even stronger than previously noted under the old audience measurement system and that minority radio stations were not as popular.
The Obama administration, along with the City of New York, and other minority interests cried foul. Then, the FCC stepped in and announced it would investigate the new Arbitron system. After all, it cannot allow conservative talk radio to improve its already strong position on American airwaves!
Several things are playing out that conservatives need to be aware of. First, the Fairness Doctrine appears dead on arrival. Democrats finally figured out re-imposition would be unconstitutional. So, they are going through the backdoor to “clarify the public interest obligations” of broadcasters as stated by Obama and the Democrats in their 2008 party platform. The FCC on May 7th began hearings to “diversify” media ownership in America. The only way to do that is to take a broadcast license away from a current owner and give it to a minority. Democrats can’t understand that such a “redistribution of wealth” is a form of censorship of another point of view. And, of the 31 members of the advisory committee appointed by the FCC, it was hard to find one that represents conservative interests. There is no one to represent Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, or Lars Larson in these on-going hearings. Secondly, the FCC will reduce the broadcast license renewal term from eight to three years. Big brother at work looking over the shoulder of media…
Our founding fathers deliberated on which amendment would be listed first. It is no accident that they deemed freedom of speech to be the most important of all amendments to be part of the rights of citizens in our new nation. In Britain, the freedoms of the people didn’t include criticizing the monarchy or those who served the king; today, the presidential administration is attempting the same.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws “respecting an establishment of religion” or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, infringe the freedom of speech, infringe the freedom of the press, limit the right to peaceably assemble, or limit the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
How, then, can this grievous censorship even happen in America? Through manipulated language and Democrat-appointed panel discussion. Members on this decisive panel were not vetted nor voted on by the American people, yet they hold the cards on what Americans can and cannot listen to on the radio. All members on the panel embrace a liberal philosophy; there are no conservatives whatsoever on the panel. The FCC is also not a part of Congress and this effort to infringe on Americans’ freedom of speech is masked in superficial, feel-good “diversity” rhetoric.
It’s not too late to stop this now. You can do something about it before it gets a firm stranglehold to squash our Constitution’s First Amendment. Contact your state representatives in Congress and denounce this “Media Diversity” power grab. Freedom of speech is hanging in the balance.
Related reading:
Capitol Confidential, Big Government: Google: Openness for Thee, But Not For Me and FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators
From the Pen: The Fairness Doctrine: Welfare for Sub-Prime Liberal Broadcasters
Brian Jennings: Unreal: Broadcaster Freedom Amendment Defeated
John T. Simpson, Big Hollywood: What if President Obama Were a Republican?
Chuck Norris, World Net Daily: Atheists in the Capitol’s foxhole
Jeffrey Jena, Big Hollywood: Are We Witnessing a Greek Tragedy?
Michelle Malkin: Green Czar vs. Glenn Beck; Britain vs. Michael Savage and Meet the FCC Diversity Czar and Obama’s computer security police and Obama’s FCC diversity engineers strike again and FCC: Funding Cronyism of Color and Fairness Doctrine Watch: The FCC’s “Diversity Panel” and Crushing of dissent in the Age of Obama and Here it comes: Sen. Bingaman heralds Fairness Doctrine return
Brian Jennings, Big Hollywood: Muzzling CNN’s Lou Dobbs
CNS News: FCC Commissioner Circulates Document on ‘The State of Media Journalism’
Pam Meister, Big Hollywood: Mellencamp: First Amendment More of a ‘Collective’ Thing
Noel Sheppard, NewsBusters: Schumer: Talk Radio Needs to be Regulated Like Pornography
Digital Journal: Air America Founder Agrees With Limbaugh on Fairness Doctrine!
Brian Jennings, Big Hollywood: Obama’s Latest Assault on Conservative Talk
FOX News: Concerns Raised Over Makeup of ‘Diversity Committee’ at FCC
BitsBlog: Ya Say You Want a Revolution? Well, You Know…. and BO’s Book Deal Reeks
Israpundit: Obama’s Revenge
Charles Winecoff, Big Hollywood: DENIED: Bigotry of the Obamatrons
Ezra Levant: Jews and censorship
Jim Blazsik: The Obama Road to Serfdom: Good Morning Socialist States of America!
The Angry White Guy: Anti-Fairness Doctrine panel to convene
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Big Brother Watching? Outrageous New Bills Would Give Obama Power, Control of Internet Data
DaTechguy’s Blog: When you can’t win the argument cry ***ism
Vets On The Watch: The Government Knows Best, So Just Shut Up
Gary Graham, Big Hollywood: Another ‘Transformational Moment’ — The Cyber-Czar is Born!
Leo Grin, Big Hollywood: NBC: National Broadcasters Against Conservatives
Warner Todd Huston, NewsBusters: Shocker: Journalists on OUR Side For a Change
Patriot Burr: “The FCC’s Diversity Panel”
Gribbet’s Word: The Failure of Obama Thinking and the Morons Who Fall For It
QandO: Dissent and Hate Speech
Jeffrey Jena, Big Hollywood: Let’s Ban Some Brits
WitSnapper: the Blog: The Fairness Doctrine, resurrected from the pit
Seton Motley, NewsBusters: Latest in the ‘Fairness’ Doctrine Conga Line: NY Dem Rep Maurice Hinchey
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: How many Czars does it take to screw in a lightbulb? and Judicial Watch Uncovers New FCC Documents on Fairness Doctrine Debate
Brian Jennings, Big Hollywood: FCC: America’s New Speech Police and The Fight for Free Speech is On!
Richard Dawkins.net: Holland: SWAT team arrests cartoonist
The American Dissident, A Literary Journal of Critical Thinking: Myths and Hypocrisies
Star Parker, World Net Daily: Blacks, liberals’ awkward co-dependence
Pink Elephant Pundit: “Fairness” Team: Activated
BlackNews.com: Black Named to Head One of Nation’s Largest Financial Institutions
RightWingRocker: Justice Thomas Weighs In on the co-called “Fairness Doctrine”
Black News Global: Study Shows Wealthy Minorities with $282 Billion in Spending Power
American Free Press: Discussion of Holocaust to Be Banned?
The Daily Conservative: Censorship: Fairness Doctrine Violates First Amendment Rights
BlackNews.com: African American Buying Power Said to be Approaching $1 Trillion
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