Radio’s Unfairness Doctrine

Back in the Reagan years the move began to repeal what was thought to be radio's burdensome Fairness Doctrine.

No need for a provision requiring equal time for other sides of the issues -- so the thinking went. The marketplace would take care of itself. There were enough voices.

What followed was some of radio's best talk franchises -- The Rush Limbaugh's and the Sean Hannity's and many, many others in between that led to the golden age of political talk radio.

A lot of stations made money and the value of radio properties grew -- in part because talk radio thrived. Talk radio (all news and later sports) helped to&hellip