General Discussion

ZX86

(1,428 posts) Sun Oct 27, 2013, 07:48 PM Oct 2013

How to Shrink & Drown the MSM News - Kill the Lying Bastards

Many people decry the end of the fairness doctrine. I'm one of them. The state of affairs regarding the MSM today is absolutely horrid. I don't have to catalog the abuses and incompetence Fox News, right wing radio, and especially what many consider middle of the road outlets such as NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN. But there is a simple solution.

Treat pubic affairs news like religion. Make it tax exempt. Here's my proposal:

Freedom of the Press Act

Any organization that gathers and disseminates public affair news and/or opinion shall be tax exempt as long as they devote 15% of their content to outside review and they have no other business interests outside of public affairs news.

What it would do and not do:

1. This would avoid all the pitfalls of trying to reinstitute a new Fairness Doctrine because it would be completely voluntary.

2. Real journalists would flock to create new tax free business ventures.

3. Fox News etc. would not qualify because they have business outside of news gathering.

4. It would create a standard and atmosphere in journalism that real news whether print or broadcast contains 15% rebuttal time/space.

5. Over time any news organization that did not subject themselves to peer review rebuttals would not be considered legitimate news.

6. Sports, entertainment, special interests news would not qualify for tax exemption.

7. It would destroy the business model of for profit news gathering that refuses rebuttal or peer review.

In conclusion it should be noted that there are few institutions mentioned in the Constitution are singled out for protection. Tax exempt status has been extended to religion to protect and promote the free exercise thereof. This should be extended to the news gathering free press as well for the same reasons.

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

How to Shrink & Drown the MSM News - Kill the Lying Bastards (Original Post) ZX86 Oct 2013 OP

I like it. Tigress DEM Oct 2013 #1

K & R Tigress DEM Oct 2013 #2

How about applying the same standards to religious exemption? (15% rebuttal time & no other Faryn Balyncd Oct 2013 #3

No to rebuttal time. ZX86 Oct 2013 #4

K & R Scurrilous Oct 2013 #5

who gets to conduct the peer review rebuttal? Blue_Tires Oct 2013 #6

Any responsible citizen. ZX86 Oct 2013 #10

It's still more effective to just return the restrictions on media ownership Blue_Tires Nov 2013 #14

Sounds burdensome and complex to monitor Pretzel_Warrior Oct 2013 #7

And yet if we could force divestiture on the media conglomerates... Orsino Oct 2013 #8

Tax exempt status would radically change the business model. ZX86 Oct 2013 #12

Your comment doesn't make sense. ZX86 Oct 2013 #9

You seem to believe those in power would want a free and honest watchdog press. nt tblue37 Oct 2013 #11

Good idea RobertEarl Oct 2013 #13

Tigress DEM

(7,887 posts)

1. I like it.

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2013, 07:52 PM

Oct 2013

esp this part:

7. It would destroy the business model of for profit news gathering that refuses rebuttal or peer review.

NPR is already doing better than the rest because it gets most of its money from member supporters.

Tigress DEM

(7,887 posts)

2. K & R

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2013, 07:53 PM

Oct 2013

Faryn Balyncd

(5,125 posts)

3. How about applying the same standards to religious exemption? (15% rebuttal time & no other

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Sun Oct 27, 2013, 11:35 PM

Oct 2013

...business activity, i.e. no real estate, no politics.)

ZX86

(1,428 posts)

4. No to rebuttal time.

Reply to Faryn Balyncd (Reply #3)

Mon Oct 28, 2013, 08:10 PM

Oct 2013

Any church business that doesn't involve charity or religious proselytizing should be taxed.

Scurrilous

(38,687 posts)

5. K & R

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 11:43 AM

Oct 2013

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)

6. who gets to conduct the peer review rebuttal?

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 11:47 AM

Oct 2013

ZX86

(1,428 posts)

10. Any responsible citizen.

Reply to Blue_Tires (Reply #6)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 08:56 PM

Oct 2013

Just like with the Fairness Doctrine. I would envision private citizens and spokespersons from organizations like MMFA, ACLU, Heritage Foundation, etc.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)

14. It's still more effective to just return the restrictions on media ownership

Reply to ZX86 (Reply #10)

Fri Nov 1, 2013, 10:04 AM

Nov 2013

'peer review' has too much potential for incest and buddy-buddy gladhanding

Pretzel_Warrior

(8,361 posts)

7. Sounds burdensome and complex to monitor

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 11:50 AM

Oct 2013

In a word-unworkable.

I'd like to see the fairness doctrine reinstated or find other means to hold media outlets accountable for pushing lies.

Orsino

(37,428 posts)

8. And yet if we could force divestiture on the media conglomerates...

Reply to Pretzel_Warrior (Reply #7)

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 12:19 PM

Oct 2013

...the resulting smaller outlets could do a great job of fact-checking one another, as they once did. Properly regulated, they would all be "outside agencies."

ZX86

(1,428 posts)

12. Tax exempt status would radically change the business model.

Reply to Orsino (Reply #8)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 09:08 PM

Oct 2013

The media empires would lose all the best talent to tax exempt news organizations. News and public affairs ventures would return to being money losers to all except those devoted exclusively to news and public affairs. Public perception of a news organization will be of a tax exempt organization that carries rebuttals as a matter of course. Just as no one thinks a legitimate church is a place that charges admission to enter.

ZX86

(1,428 posts)

9. Your comment doesn't make sense.

Reply to Pretzel_Warrior (Reply #7)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 08:53 PM

Oct 2013

It is incredibly unburdensome and extremely easy to monitor. In a word very workable. Either you devote 15% of your content to rebuttal or you don't. Either you want tax exempt status or you don't. Just like any other church or charity organization.

The fairness doctrine would be infinitely more complex to monitor and police since it would apply to most media outlets and would be subject to endless court challenges.

tblue37

(65,428 posts)

11. You seem to believe those in power would want a free and honest watchdog press. nt

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 09:01 PM

Oct 2013

RobertEarl

(13,685 posts)

13. Good idea

Reply to ZX86 (Original post)

Thu Oct 31, 2013, 09:49 PM

Oct 2013

I always wondered how religions became a protected class and could make a profit and not pay any tax. Yep, there are two classes in the US tax code: Religions, and the rest of us.

Tax free press companies would equalize that discrepancy, by making it possible to preach non-religions and also be tax free.

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