Fairness Doctrine

The Fairness Doctrine was a policy enacted by the FCC,  United States Federal Communications Commission, in 1949 which sought to ensure fair and balanced coverage of controversial public issues by broadcast media outlets. The FCC deemed stations using public airwaves to be “public trustees” and thereby obliged to provide a broad spectrum of opinion on important issues. Furthermore, the FCC determined stations to be responsible for identifying important issues and provide program content relevant to such issues.

According to Steve Rendall, FAIR:
The Fairness Doctrine had two basic elements: It required broadcasters to devote some of their airtime to discussing controversial matters of public interest, and to air contrasting views regarding those matters. Stations were given wide latitude as to how to provide contrasting views: It could be done through news segments, public affairs shows, or editorials. The doctrine did not require equal time for opposing views but required that contrasting viewpoints be presented.

Though often thus mistaken, the Fairness Doctrine is not the same as Equal Time. Of late the Fairness Doctrine has become a combustible political issue typically finding support from Democrats and opposition among Republicans.

The Fairness Doctrine came to an end during the Reagan Administration when President Ronald Reagan vetoed.

The fairness doctrine remains just beneath the surface of concerns over broadcasting and cablecasting, and some members of congress continue to threaten to pass it into legislation. Currently, however, there is no required balance of controversial issues as mandated by the fairness doctrine. The public relies instead on the judgment of broadcast journalists and its own reasoning ability to sort out one-sided or distorted coverage of an issue. Indeed, experience over the past several years since the demise of the doctrine shows that broadcasters can and do provide substantial coverage of controversial issues of public importance in their communities, including contrasting viewpoints, through news, public affairs, public service, interactive and special programming.