gr8oldies said:
I kind of hear you saying that radio stations should not be programming what people want but what they "need".Someone should be telling people their beliefs are wrong. That free market conservative should be compelled to consider that capatalism is a system that exploits people and greater government control and much higher taxes are what are needed. The liberal who believes that corporations are the root of all evil must hear and consider that corporations employ people and contribute to the greater good. Those Christian station listeners certainly should have to listen to all the evidence that Jesus never existed, or that Muhammed is the true prophet. Maybe you can figure out how to compel that Daily Kos reader to read World Net Daily and not laugh but I doubt it. The only way I know how to do it with radio is run for federal office.
CaptBob92: I managed a station during the Fairness Doctrine. I did a daily talk show that plunged into controversial topics like a bull in a china shop. I was the guy who had the conversations with the attorney when we had demands from people for "equal time" or "balance time" or retractions or what ever. First, I agree with you.
The Fairness Doctrine in it's time was a bore, a big yawn for the most part. Second, I disagree with you that digging up the Fairness Doctrine from the dead would work today. Times have changed. Economic forces within society have changed. If. Big IF please. IF we need something today, I would propose that the Fairness Doctrine is NOT practical or useful today. The recent movement I have observed is to bring back the NAME Fairness Doctrine, but give it a new engine, new style tires, new body styling, etc. etc. etc. Even if congress could design a NEW policy totally appropriate for our circumstances today, giving it the name Fairness Doctrine will doom the effort.
gr8oldies: The part of your post that I copied here may well be The Poster Child for the logic I offer. Your first sentence is "on target" but framed too tightly. Schools do not teach ONLY what students WANT to hear. Good churches do not preach ONLY what people WANT to hear. Good parents do not tell and discipline their children with ONLY what they want to hear.
I have no problem with the business and entertainment concept that radio has an opportunity and from a financial survival view, an obligation to include "the good stuff", the candy, the feel good material. You don't kind of hear me saying that radio station should NOT be programming what people want. What you should hear me saying is that when there is the appearance of a weak point or a failure in the implementation of capitalism, worthy and useful media of all kinds will report that event. Maybe discuss that event. Maybe arrange PRO and CON side by side essays on the Op Ed page of the paper. Invite spokesmen representing all sides of the discussion to have a dignified, intellectually honest review of the situation. The obligation is to find a format that makes it inviting enough and scheduled during peoples waking hours so that
even you would have the interest and patience to hear what is said. It would not be the job of the media (in my perfect world ;D ) to change your mind. It is simply their job to serve up this information-meal in such a way you would sit there and think: "Now I understand why those people I disagree with feel the way they do. They, too, have SOME valid points."
In the case of the religious station, I would put burdens and obligations upon the pastor, upon the church, as well as the station. If. Big IF please. IF there is legitimate and respectable variations in theological thinking within the religious group making the broadcast, then the broadcast station, the "preacher" and the church or religious corporate body sponsoring the broadcast probably need to see to it that the INTERNAL struggles over theology be presented. The fact that Christianity and Islam may be competitors and have opposing claims on truth is beyond what you and I are ready to discuss. Substitute the name of any group you like here, but for the sake of discussion: If a Baptist speaker is on the air and his/her Baptist group has an annual convention coming up in a few months where they will tackle a severely controversial topic and the on-air guy does not help the listener understand what the struggle is all about, shame on him/her, shame on the station, shame on the religious group that controls the validity of the ordination of the person speaking.
I understand your humor about the Daily Kos and World Net Daily News. When I run into the followers of either of those publications and they want to engage in conversation of the day and all they know is what they glean from ONE and ONLY one of those two sources, I worry about the future of our nation.
When I got up this morning and read in my paper that Evan Bayh of Indiana has decided to not run for re-election and says he no longer wants to be part of a congress made up of too many people who are purely Daily Kos and purely World Net Daily News, I see a little bit our civilization die.
I have never been a newspaper man. I don't know how to address "my fellow newspaper people". Same for TV, magazines, etc. I understand a little bit about radio. I think we could have a little part in getting people to sit down and enjoy a beer while talking to someone with different views.