It's surprisingly difficult to find a book analyzing the debate over the Fairness Doctrine. This book from 1975 by Fred Friendly (Edward R. Murrow's producer) serves as a high-quality introduction, and is written in an accessible manner. Friendly also works to maintain an even-handed journalistic approach, trying to fairly represent the different sides of the debate.
"This book, an account of the 'Red Lion' Supreme Court case and similar cases that arose after that decision, discusses the implications and problems inherent in enforcing the Federal Communications Commission's 'Fairness Doctrine.' After a detailed chronicle of the Red Lion case, the book relates applications of the Fairness Doctrine to commercial announcements, presidential use of television, and network distortion of the news. The book emphasizes that, in many of the cases and issues, it is difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys."
Why this is progessive/liberal: Public resources like the broadcast spectrum should be used responsibly to represent the different voices of the public. The Fairness Doctrine is intended to create a platform to ensure equal time for different opinions. This book explains how the Fairness Doctrine came about, and why it's important as a guideline for using resources in the public domain.
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