The truth is non-partisan

One of the consequences of deregulation during the Reagan administration was getting rid of the Fairness Doctrine.  The Fairness Doctrine required that all candidates get equal time in the broadcast media.  Abolishing the Fairness Doctrine has had several consequences: one is that "fringe" candidates do not get a fair hearing in the media.  Another is that no longer is the media required to cover all points of view and so advertising and election costs have proliferated in order to get the message across. And the richest campaigns get the biggest say in the media. 

 

I listened today to several reports about the Democratic and Republican presidential debates over the past two days.  The reports rehashed the same lines from the major candidates - John Edwards attacking Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney defending their position on the war. (After each debate Mitt Romney is discounted because of religion.) Only Tom Tancredo got into the major news when he said he wouldn't let Bush come to his White House. (Karl Rove had once told him to "never darken the door of the White House.")  The media claim it's unfair that "fringe" candidates should share the stage with the popular candidates. 

 

After a debate several weeks ago Fox News urged viewers to vote for the winning debater.  When they realized Ron Paul was winning, suddenly Sean Hannity pointed out the poll was non-scientific. Ron Paul's success was a problem for Fox, because most of their post-debate coverage focused on him being an inconsequential loon.  This despite that fact that many people seem to think that Ron Paul is the only person who makes sense.

 

Maybe it's because the chosen few have the highest rankings in the polls or because they share mainstream ideas or have the most money. But whatever the reason, the media are setting the agenda for the 2008 elections. They have already narrowed down who should win the popularity contest, regardless of ideas expressed by other candidates.