A few months ago the federal government was threatening to monitor newsrooms, peering over the shoulders of media so as to discourage dissent. Implementation was thwarted when the American People took notice, and the threat to free speech and freedom of the press was delayed. I say "delayed," because the liberal left never gives up, and the attempt to silence their opposition as non-liberal outlets begin to gain ground in the war over having a media voice is still in full swing.
Now, the warnings of a federal attack against conservative news outlets, especially on the internet, are being articulated by the chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
“I think that there are impulses in the government every day to second guess and look into the editorial decisions of conservative publishers,” warned Federal Election Commission Chairman Lee E. Goodman in an interview.
“The right has begun to break the left’s media monopoly, particularly through new media outlets like the internet, and I sense that some on the left are starting to rethink the breadth of the media exemption and internet communications,” he added.
According to Goodman, protecting conservative media, especially those on the internet, “matters to me because I see the future going to the democratization of media largely through the internet. They can compete with the big boys now, and I have seen storm clouds that the second you start to regulate them, there is at least the possibility or indeed proclivity for selective enforcement, so we need to keep the media free and the internet free.”
Goodman cited several examples where the FEC has considered regulating conservative media, using efforts to lift the media exemption from FEC rules, allowing outlets to pick favorites in elections and promote them without any limits or disclosure requirements like political action committees.
“The right has begun to break the left’s media monopoly, particularly through new media outlets like the internet, and I sense that some on the left are starting to rethink the breadth of the media exemption and internet communications,” he added.
According to Goodman, protecting conservative media, especially those on the internet, “matters to me because I see the future going to the democratization of media largely through the internet. They can compete with the big boys now, and I have seen storm clouds that the second you start to regulate them, there is at least the possibility or indeed proclivity for selective enforcement, so we need to keep the media free and the internet free.”
Goodman cited several examples where the FEC has considered regulating conservative media, using efforts to lift the media exemption from FEC rules, allowing outlets to pick favorites in elections and promote them without any limits or disclosure requirements like political action committees.
The liberal left has been pushing to return to the restrictions of a "fairness doctrine" in order to cut off conservative voices, and retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has delighted Democrats recently with a proposed Constitutional amendment that some say could force the media to stop endorsing candidates or promoting issues.
“The picking and choosing has started to occur,” said Goodman. “There are some in this building that think we can actually regulate” media, added Goodman, a Republican whose chairmanship lasts through December. And if that occurs, he said, “then I am concerned about disparate treatment of conservative media.”
He added, “Truth be told, I want conservative media to have the same exemption as all other media.”
“The picking and choosing has started to occur,” said Goodman. “There are some in this building that think we can actually regulate” media, added Goodman, a Republican whose chairmanship lasts through December. And if that occurs, he said, “then I am concerned about disparate treatment of conservative media.”
He added, “Truth be told, I want conservative media to have the same exemption as all other media.”
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
FCC told to back off on newsroom intrusion - Washington Times
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