Postrel on Fairness Doctrine

Again, we readers are subjected to another tirade on the unfairness of the fairness doctrine, this time in your Column Right article by Virginia Postrel on Aug. 20.

It was interesting to note that Postrel describes Rush Limbaugh as being “deliciously unfair” on his radio talk show. I wonder why being unfair tastes so good to Postrel. Because it makes money for the broadcaster? If so, is that the bottom-line justification for what one does?

No one is forced to go into broadcasting. Those who do have received a valuable and exclusive, publicly granted and protected right to use a part of the airwaves for their own purposes. They may profit handsomely. It does not seem unfair for the public to expect some benefit in return, such as the broadcaster’s adherence to the fairness doctrine.

JERRY CHANEY

Long Beach

* To try to make the case that radio represents all views, Postrel disingenuously equate Bill Clinton’s one hour on Don Imus’ show and Jerry Brown’s few hours in a few markets with Rush Limbaugh, who is on four hours a day, six days a week.

What is lacking is a left, progressive view. We have two talk-show stations in the Los Angeles market. With the exception of Bill Press, every host on both stations is a right-winger.

The media is much too expensive now for anyone’s viewpoint to be expressed if it is dissonant with the conservative, anti-labor, anti-progressive, trickle-down opinions of the big-business advertisers.

WAYNE WILEY

Huntington Beach

* I wish the conservatives would make up their minds. For the last 10 to 15 years, they have been collecting evidence to expose the “liberal bias” in the media. Now, Postrel informs us that the reason the conservatives oppose the “fairness doctrine” is that it is a liberal plot to silence the conservatives who dominate talk radio.

Make up your minds, guys. Is the media bias liberal or conservative? Their position on the doctrine is conclusive evidence that they don’t believe their own propaganda.

SANFORD THIER

Irvine