On the program today, I will speak with Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina). During the program we will discuss "The Fairness Doctrine" vs. "The Broadcaster Freedom Act", and the ACLU, Universities and the Stimulus issue (i.e. could stimulus funds used to renovate universities prevent Christian organizations from meeting on campus).

The Fairness Doctrine vs The Broadcaster Freedom Act

On Feb. 27th the Senate voted 87-11 to adopt the DeMint Amendment (known as "The Broadcaster Freedom Act"), which would prohibit the FCC from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, a defunct policy that regulated conflicting views on the airwaves. Following the DeMint vote however, the Senate approved Durbin's amendment which seeks to "encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership, and to ensure that the public airwaves are used in the public interest." It was a strict party line vote, 57-41.

A DeMint aide said Durbin's measure will "impose the Fairness Doctrine through the back door by trying to break up radio ownership." The aide called the Durbin proposal "an attempt to break up companies like Clear Channel and hurt their syndications and therefore putting many local radio stations out of business that depend on those syndicated shows for revenue."

You can read related articles at the following sites:

http://tinyurl.com/dnhhj3

http://tinyurl.com/chwzyc

The ACLU, Universities and Christian Meetings on Campus

"U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint says a new law could mean that universities that use money from the federal stimulus program to renovate dorms couldn't allow college students to pray in them; but the American Civil Liberties Union says it won't file such lawsuits and that the fear is baseless.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act states that "no funds awarded under this section may be used for modernization, renovation or repair of facilities used for sectarian instruction, religious worship or a school or department of divinity."

DeMint says that means that universities that use the money to renovate buildings would have to bar their use by groups such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and would even prevent private prayer or Bible study in those buildings."

Read the full article at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/cw9bcm