In a stunning admission most Democrats have been unwilling to make in public, a New Mexico senator has revealed his desire to eliminate commercial talk radio and its opposition voices as soon as it is politically feasible.
With the possibility of a Democratic Party supermajority after the upcoming elections, Jeff Bingaman may soon get his wish to quash dissenting viewpoints.
During an interview with KOB/ Albuquerque host Jim Villanucci, Bingaman overtly stated his full support for imposing Fairness Doctrine restrictions on free speech which would effectively shut down talk radio as we know it today.
If enacted, the Fairness Doctrine (which is anything but) would create logistical nightmares for radio programmers, leading quickly to shuttered stations. The need to "balance" every viewpoint presented would also destroy the entertainment value of talk radio, driving away the audience.
With most major operators currently in deep financial trouble for unrelated reasons, these new restrictions on free speech could represent the final blow for the commercial broadcasting industry.
Even when confronted with the fact that Albuquerque is home to conservative and liberal commercial outlets, as well as public and satellite radio offerings, Bingaman still indicated he would support the move to silence talk radio.Here’s a clip of the exchange:
Though many have suspected Democrats would enact revenge on conservative talk radio after the election, Bingaman has foolishly suggested that it is on the table, despite previous denials from others in his party.
For their part, liberal talk hosts such as Ed Schultz have used those denials to claim no such plan is in the works, even going on the offensive against conservatives who say otherwise. Now, Schultz and others in the "progressive" talk area will be forced to admit that it may become a reality.
Worse, it will have the same chilling effect on their programming. Because conservative talk is so much more successful, however, liberal Democrats may be willing to sacrifice Air America if it means shutting down Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and others.
