Senate Amendment Calls for 'Balance' on Armed Forces Radio

[kskiska]

Pardon the source, but the content is important.

Liberal groups that want to bounce Rush Limbaugh's radio show off Armed Forces Radio have found a Senate ally.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced on Wednesday that he has successfully amended the Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization bill, adding a provision that calls on American Forces Radio and Television Service to provide political balance in its public affairs programming.

Harkin was quoted as saying that American Forces Radio and Television Service is funded by taxpayers of all political persuasions, and therefore it should "make a greater effort to provide balanced representation of political viewpoints on its airwaves to American service members around the world."

Media Matters for America -- a liberal group that monitors conservative media for "misinformation"-- praised Harkin for introducing the amendment -- and the entire Senate for going along with it.

more…
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200406\NAT20040617a.html

Link to MediaMatters pdf:
http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/harkin-press-release-20040617.pdf

[punpirate]

1. About time....

Why should Rush have the bully pulpit with the military overseas?

These guys need to know that there are people who are concerned with their safety, and don't see them as cannon fodder for the neo-cons' war.

[merh]

20. They shouldn't be forced to listen to Toykyo Russy ....

Its about time they are allowed to hear Robin Williams and "Good Morning Viet Nam".

[Az_lefty]

2. Nice work Senator

Do the troops get to hear O'Franken now?

[Supormom]

3. Senator Harkin should be the next senate majority leader.

When the Democratic Party takes back the senate, Harkin would be the best choice IMHO.

[glitch]

23. hear hear! nt

[TriMetFan]

4. It's about Freaking Time.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. this is great news.....

maybe i'm prejudiced, but i think the perfect counter to rush's particular brand of commentary would be either mike malloy or randi rhodes. let me say, i love the entire air america line-up, but randi would definitely be a great, articulate, passionate voice from the left.

[Mr.Green93]

6. if this passes will we have the "Fairness Doctrine" back?

[David__77]

9. Only applies to Armed Forces radio.

Clearly there should not be one side on the government radio. Clinton's defense department got this abomination approved and that was a stupid, unforgivable mistake.

[Mr.Green93]

12. a foot in the door?

could it be the basis for a lawsuit to apply it to all media?

[trogdor]

21. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I remember in those days, the dittoheads were screaming for this relentlessly until they got what they wanted. You couldn't say DoD was forcing Rush on them. I wonder, though, what would happen if a similar campaign were waged to get Al Franken on AFN.

[PeaceProgProsp]

10. Just for the armed services. So you know what we'll do?

We'll privatize the army so that a private company can indoctrinate the army any way it wants to.

[otohara]

7. Damn Right

good for Sen. Harkin -

[wryter2000]

8. Awwww-right!

David Brock is making a difference, and Air America Radio is helping. They've been pushing this on Franken for the last couple of weeks.

[yellowcanine]

11. Has about as much chance of staying in the bill as pigs flying at the Bush

"ranch" in Crawford. Or the weather getting really cold in Cheney's secret hiding place.

[Bandit]

13. It is a step in the right direction but I don't think any political show

should be aired on military radio. The military does not need to worry about politics while on active duty. They should not be politicized in any manner what-so-ever.

[hughee99]

15. Huh?

So simply because someone is in the military and stationed overseas, they should not be allowed to listen to political discussion?

[Bandit]

18. Why do you think it is illegal by UCMJ for any officer to talk politics?

The UCMJ is quite specific about how politics should be treated in the military. It isn't allowed.

[hughee99]

19. So

an off-duty officer is not allowed to participate in, or listen to, political discussion? I was under the impression that the UCMJ referred to discussing politics as it relates to representing the military. Someone in the military cannot make a political speech, or use their official position to express political views, of course.

[trogdor]

22. It's called the Hatch Amendment.

It applies to EVERYONE in DoD. It doesn't prohibit water-cooler conversation or anything like that, nor does it prohibit anyone from putting a candidate's sticker on his or her car, nor does it prohibit anyone from donating to a campaign. However, that is about the length and breadth of what you are allowed to do as an employee of the federal government.

[Nile]

25. They do not want to hear...

They do not want to hear anyone calling them a bunch of murderers. They do not want to hear someone bashing the military.
They do not want to hear someone bad mouthing their commanders.
They do not want to hear all the anti military rhetoric.

[saigon68]

27. Thus they do NOT want to hear the truth

And the truth is VERY VERY UGLY

[SheepyMcSheepster]

30. who does this in radio? do you have examples?

what is your argumen? do you believe things should be left the way they are with rush calling the prison abuse/torture "blowing off a little steam" and "no worse than a skull and bones initiation"? this should be what the troops hear?

[Nile]

31. Armed Forces Radio is mostly entertainment for the troops.

It is supposed to be a morale booster not a downer.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

32. so are you arguing that rush limbaugh should kept being broadcast?

is continually bashing members of a political party that many armed service members are a member of your idea of a moral booster?

do radio personalities who often report stories whose only source is newsmax.com boost morale?

does it boost morale for a man to continually berate and make fun of a presidential canidate and member of the U.S.?

please explain.

[AmericanErrorist]

14. Balance wouldn't mean Limbaugh would go away

AFN programmers would probably have to add the "O'Franken Factor", etc. Good move.

[Democat]

16. Good job Harkin and Media Matters!

It probably won't stay, but at least he's trying and getting the idea into the public spotlight.

[progressivebydesign]

17. Hugs for Harkin!!

He's awesome! Thanks for taking up the cause!

[DeepModem Mom]

24. kick

[0rganism]

26. easiest thing to do is DUMP RUSH

Playing that shit over the air in Iraq is dangerous as all hell. Plus, we'd get back whatever money was allocated to Oxycontinman's contract.

[CRK7376]

28. I suffer with Rush

on the radio from 7-8pm on AFN. But then I get rewarded with two hours of NPR from 8-10....Just so they don't screw with NPR I can survive my tour overseas with only an hour of Rush....good for a laugh at least....

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

29. How's this bill flying in the House?