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Communication Literacies Blog 3

  • Page ID
    247221
    • Victoria Newsom and Desiree Ann Montenegro
    • Olympic College and Cerritos College

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    Blog Prompt

    In 1949 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) introduced a policy requiring broadcast news agencies to adhere to a Fairness Doctrine. This doctrine required two key things:

    1. News broadcasts had to cover controversial material
    2. Contrasting views had to be presented

    In other words, news media had to present "both" or "all" sides of controversial issues to the public for consumption.

    In 1987, then President Ronald Reagan eliminated the doctrine. This was part of Reagan's push for de-regulation, a move claimed by many to have led to the polarization of news sources, as well as the formation of political and ideological silos in society. The FCC formally removed the doctrine's language from all its policies in 2011.

    In what situations should the media act as a platform for presenting controversies and advocacy? Explain how and why advocacy or providing access for advocates and controversial voices to be heard might be a necessary function of media. Should every media platform attempt to provide multiple sides? You can relate this back to what you have learned so far from Modules 1, 2 and 3.

    Don't Forget

    • Don't forget to complete two responses to your peers, and in those responses don't just agree or disagree. Instead, consider the following:
      • challenging their choices
      • asking questions
      • giving examples
    • Use citations and references, where appropriate

    This page titled Communication Literacies Blog 3 is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Victoria Newsom and Desiree Ann Montenegro via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.