THE WILSOI QUARTER Let's Make the Fairness Doctrine Work
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AUTUMN 1986--- THE WILSOI QUARTER Let's make the Fairness Doctrine work Ridley Scott, the acclaimed ~ritishf-ilmdirec- energy crises years of the 70s, news about tor, has made a chillingly effective television energy was breaking fast, and inaccuracy commercial called The Deficit Trials. But even was rife. While newspapers were willing to though it was made for television, don't look sell us space to comment on what was hap- for it on the networks. pening, the networks' response was: "It is Set in the year 2017, the film depicts a not our policy to sell time for controversial gloomy courtroom filled with ragged young issues of public importance." spectators. A boy prosecutor confronts an Then, as now, the networks say that under elderly man confined in a glowing cone. the Fairness Doctrine, they must "afford rea- 'By 1986, for example, the national debt sonable opportunity for the discussion of had reached two dollars:' the boy conflicting views on issues of public im- intones. "Didn't that frighten you?" As portance." This sounds like an invitation for a the accused squirms, a voice-over pro- broad public debate, until the networks add nounces somberly: "No one really knows their zinger: Only their news departments what another generation of unchecked have the wisdom to define issues of public federal deficits will bring." The accused importance, and these issues will be covered man finally asks, "Are you ever going to for- only as they see fit. So much for the legis- give us?" lative policy that broadcasters are trustees This minimovie is actually a 60-second of the airwaves, which ultimately belong to commercial by W, R. Grace & Co. NBC and the public. CBS refused to air it and ABC agreed to Actually, we eventually got our energy show it, but only after midnight. CBS and messages out to the public, usually in print, NBC did broadcast portions of the spot as and Grace is also being heard. Its problem part of their news programs, although re- with the networks has been reported in the fusing to run it as a paid commercial. press, and Grace has paid to have the Scott According to a Grace spokesman, the net- ad shown by cable networks, independent works refused to run the commercial be- stations and in Washington, D.C., movie the- cause it was controversial. That judgment aters. But network television, which reaches left Grace just as confused as it leaves us; into virtually every living room in the nation, last year, NBC and ABC accepted another and is the main source of news for most Grace commercial on the deficit. It showed people, continues to limit the availability of two bureaucrats delivering an invoice of differing points of view. $50,000 to a newborn infant, as its share of So we're calling-again-for the networks the government debt. We fail to see where to get off their rhetoric and give the Fairness it is any less controversial than The Deficit Doctrine a chance. Let responsible opinions Trials. on issues of public importance be aired, un- Still, there's consistency even in the net- edited, in prime time. When that happens, works' inconsistency, and to us, the Grace the networks finally will be allowing the Fair- controversy is just another rerun. During the ness Doctrine to live up to its name. AUTUMN 1986 THE WILSON QUARTERLY . - Editor's Comment PERIODICALS Research Reports FINLAND Between East and West by Keith W. Olson The Finnish Solution by Pekka Kalevi Hamalainen Background Books IDEAS In Praise of Thomas Aquinas by Umberto Eco FEMINISM IN AMERICA, 1848-1 986 Act One by Lois Banner The Fight for Suffrage by William L. 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