Fairness Doctrine shake up religious and talk radio

Pelosi, D-Calif., said recently that she supports resurrecting the Fairness Doctrine, a 1949 Federal Communications Commission policy that required broadcasters who sent out specific messages to set aside time for opposing views.

Such a move would "really make it impossible to preach the whole counsel of God," said Rich Bott, the owner of Bott Radio Network in Kansas, which broadcasts Christian programming across 10 states.

It also, he said, would likely put him out of business.

Put in place nearly 50 years ago, the doctrine was an FCC regulation that policed the airwaves at a time when there were few other sources of information. It never carried the full weight of the law. By the 1980s, with the advent of cable television and multiple opportunities to air differing opinions, the policy fell out of favor and was finally ditched by the FCC in 1987.

Although Pelosi hasn't offered legislation to reinstate the policy, she has signaled that she supports its revival, and said that a bill introduced by Rep. Mike Spence, R-Ind., to permanently kill it will not be considered by the Democratic-controlled House.

If the Fairness Doctrine were to be reinstated by Congress, broadcasters would be legally forced to follow the old protocol -- one-third of the airtime given to one opinion must be offered free of charge to opponents.