The Fairness Doctrine and the Media examines the complex history and ongoing debates surrounding the Federal Communications Commission's fairness doctrine, a regulation designed to ensure that broadcast media provide balanced and diverse viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance. The doctrine, which arose in the context of the rise of radio and television, was grounded in the belief that media outlets, with their amplified voices, held a responsibility to ensure that the public could hear all sides of important issues. This book delves into the legal and practical implications of the fairness doctrine, offering a historical narrative of its development, its challenges, and its eventual decline. The author critically explores the doctrine’s evolution, including its inconsistencies, potential for misuse, and the dangers of government overreach, while also offering thoughtful proposals for reform.

Through a detailed analysis, the book provides an insightful examination for a wide range of audiences, including students, legal professionals, broadcasters, and members of the general public interested in media regulation and freedom of speech. The work is an invaluable resource for those seeking a nuanced understanding of how government regulation intersects with media practices, and it critically assesses the role of the fairness doctrine in shaping media content. By exposing both the strengths and shortcomings of this regulatory effort, the book encourages readers to reexamine long-held assumptions about the balance between government intervention and press freedom, making it a vital text for those engaged in the ongoing debate about the future of media regulation in the United States.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1978.