Hell In All Its Fury

Australia experienced its worst day in history this weekend.

Over 100 persons have died in wildfires near the city of Melbourne in Victoria.

Ninety percent of the town of Marysville is gone.

3AW is the local news talk station.   They are doing an incredible job covering the devastation.

This might be the most emotional programming I’ve ever heard on radio.

One woman just called to find out about a specific fire area.   She described how her parents found many of their farm animals burned and near death.

A well known news television news anchor is among the dead.

Australia is subject to fires much like Los Angeles.  Extremely hot conditions and high winds have fanned the flames.

We experienced something similiar in Sydney over the Christmas holiday in 2002.  The fires came into city neighborhoods and closed many streets.

Australian radio stations still have real staffs and news departments.

They are streaming on line.

Try 3AW Melbourne, 2GB or 2UE Sydney and of course The Australian Broadcasting Company or ABC.

Cellphones are not working.  Regular phone lines  are burned.

Radio is the only means of communication across much of the area.

These fires are another example of what radio means to a community during times of emergency.

Their phone lines are filled with callers even during the middle of the night.

Imagine live radio at 3am.

Fidel’s Favorite Station

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training next week.

Hardcore baseball fans watched  as Venezuela won the Caribbean World Series on the MLB Network last night.

Yet for most of us, baseball season can’t come fast enough.

There is baseball on radio if you are willing to search it out.

Radio Rebelde in Cuba has a steady flow of games most nights during the winter.

Rebelde is the station founded by Fidel Castro during the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s.   It played a major role in his climb to power.

These days Rebelde is a mix of music, talk, personalities and baseball.

So if you’re hungry for baseball, you can find a game most nights on Rebelde at 670AM and other spots on the dial.

They also stream on WIFI.

Just one little problem.  It’s all in Spanish.

In Fairness, What Is Really Needed

The Fairness Doctrine could make a comeback.

It would require broadcasters to provide a more ‘balanced’ view of issues.

A return of the Fairness Doctrine would have greatest impact on talk radio.  Much of the successful talk on radio leans to the right.

Shouldn’t Rush, Hannity and Dr Savage be able to say what’s on their minds without concern about ‘equal time’?

Of course they should.  This is America after all.

There were far fewer media outlets when the Fairness Doctrine existed.

Today, we have right leaning, left leaning, middle etc press that includes radio, TV and now internet.

Not only can we see more news and hear more radio in the US, we have stations and newspapers available to us from around the world.

We don’t need the government to make broadcasters balance their programming.   It’s up to us as citizens to find our own balance, if we want it.

Personally I rarely agree with Rush, Hannity or Savage.   Their sometimes crazy ideas can be very entertaining.  Please don’t silence them.

Someone likes their act.  Look at the ratings.

Meanwhile if you want a different more liberalized view of things, try NPR.

Americans should be able to take whatever information they get and develop their own filters rather than being forced on them by law.

Now there is one big question I have about the Fairness Doctrine should it return.

Who do they think is going to produce the programming that will balance the discussion?

Most talk stations have little or no staff and there are virtually no real radio journalists and newsrooms left.

Instead of worrying about the Fairness Doctrine, perhaps the government should look into the disaster that has come to local radio.

Those on Capitol Hill dreaming of bringing the Doctrine back are living in 1974.   The world has changed, media has changed and there is no local radio anymore.

Instead of The Fairness Doctrine Mr. President, have the FCC get radio owners back to operating in the public interest, convenience and necessity.

It’s an old idea, that needs to be brought back as a requirement for radio and television station ownership.

We should all be more concerned that the next city facing a Katrina like disaster will have very little news coverage, than responding  to the rants of Michael Savage.

We need fewer laws and a more serious attitude of accountability among radio operators

Many current and former broadcasters are willing to step up and help the new administration tackle mass communication’s issues.

I’ll be the first to volunteer.  No charge.