R
Radio_Realist
Guest
There were talk radio stations and most of them had more local content than the average talk radio station does today.
And, most of the local content on talk radio stations in the city where I listened to the radio was lightweight banter and chit-chat, or discussions who which quarterback should start the game on Sunday. Maybe there were exceptions in other markets, but in the days before the internet and listening to out-of-market stations on-line, talk radio listeners heard what was on their local stations, and that's all.
There's not a lot of political controversy calling for equal time when the discussions on local talk radio were about whether a local street should be made one-way or not.
If however, it terminates the career of a fourth-string Rush wannabe who adopted the conservative line to get a gig, well, that would be a nice fringe benefit, not because the fourth-stringer is conservative, but because he or she lacks talent or originality.
First stringers start out as fourth stringers, and move up the depth chart as they gain experience. Not all of them make it, but if you eliminate all of the entry level positions (which syndication as pretty much done anyway), where does the next generation of skilled talk hosts come from?
And remember, as has been pointed out in this forum repeatedly, this is about a new "Fairness" Doctrine or "Fairness" Law. Whatever the old Fariness Doctrine might have said, this will be a new one. The fact that the old Fairness Doctrine might not have had that much impact on content doesn't mean that a new one won't be far more draconian.
And, most of the local content on talk radio stations in the city where I listened to the radio was lightweight banter and chit-chat, or discussions who which quarterback should start the game on Sunday. Maybe there were exceptions in other markets, but in the days before the internet and listening to out-of-market stations on-line, talk radio listeners heard what was on their local stations, and that's all.
There's not a lot of political controversy calling for equal time when the discussions on local talk radio were about whether a local street should be made one-way or not.
If however, it terminates the career of a fourth-string Rush wannabe who adopted the conservative line to get a gig, well, that would be a nice fringe benefit, not because the fourth-stringer is conservative, but because he or she lacks talent or originality.
First stringers start out as fourth stringers, and move up the depth chart as they gain experience. Not all of them make it, but if you eliminate all of the entry level positions (which syndication as pretty much done anyway), where does the next generation of skilled talk hosts come from?
And remember, as has been pointed out in this forum repeatedly, this is about a new "Fairness" Doctrine or "Fairness" Law. Whatever the old Fariness Doctrine might have said, this will be a new one. The fact that the old Fairness Doctrine might not have had that much impact on content doesn't mean that a new one won't be far more draconian.
