Peter Loge
08-20-2007, 03:49 AM
US Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunication and the Internet recently gave an interview in Broadcasting & Cable. He touched on the DTV transition, violence, the Fairness Doctrine, ownership and other issues.
The interview can be read here:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6470038.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228
A couple of key questions and answers:
On slim chance of the Fairness Doctrine coming back:
"There has been some talk, at least on the Senate side, of reimposing the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to air both sides of issues of pubic importance. Would you support that?
You are the first reporter to ask me about it. I don't have any plans. There is no bill and no hearing planned. No member has actually mentioned the issue to me, the chairman of the subcommittee, or even uttered the phrase."
And on the government regulating violence:
"Should the FCC be empowered to regulate violence?
I am the author in the 1996 Telecom Act of the V-chip. My argument at the time was that parents should be given the tools they need in order to pick just the right level of violence, sex and language that their children should be exposed to depending upon their age. That is, it should be not Big Brother, but Big Mother and Big Father who are making the decisions. That has always been my view on the issue. I am willing to listen to other alternative methods of accomplishing the goal, but that has always been my traditional approach."
The interview can be read here:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6470038.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228
A couple of key questions and answers:
On slim chance of the Fairness Doctrine coming back:
"There has been some talk, at least on the Senate side, of reimposing the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to air both sides of issues of pubic importance. Would you support that?
You are the first reporter to ask me about it. I don't have any plans. There is no bill and no hearing planned. No member has actually mentioned the issue to me, the chairman of the subcommittee, or even uttered the phrase."
And on the government regulating violence:
"Should the FCC be empowered to regulate violence?
I am the author in the 1996 Telecom Act of the V-chip. My argument at the time was that parents should be given the tools they need in order to pick just the right level of violence, sex and language that their children should be exposed to depending upon their age. That is, it should be not Big Brother, but Big Mother and Big Father who are making the decisions. That has always been my view on the issue. I am willing to listen to other alternative methods of accomplishing the goal, but that has always been my traditional approach."