Critique of a Conservative

This article published in 2003 by Stuart Epperson, Chairman of the conservative Christian broadcasting group, Salem Communications Corporation, claims that conservatives should not support a renewal of the Fairness Doctrine:

...let us suppose - and it is no stretch of the imagination to believe this - that President Hillary appoints radical liberals to the FCC. With the precedent established that the FCC can revoke licenses over obscene content, these Commissioners determine that conservative views constitute hate speech - and hate speech is obscene. For example, we are strongly supporting a Constitutional amendment and would declare that marriage is between one man and one woman. Let us suppose that these Commissioners declare that such a position is against national policy and constitutes discriminatory hate speech.

This is a misrepresentation of the Fairness Doctrine. It's also a misrepresentation of FCC Decency regulations. Epperson mixes two distinct legal issues-- Censorship and the Fairness Doctrine-- into one lump. Either he does not understand the distinction himself, or he is invoking them in one breath in order to manipulate readers.

The Fairness Doctrine is not censorship:

The FCC took the view... that station licensees... had an obligation to afford... discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial issues... that stations were also obligated to actively seek out issues of importance to their community...

This doctrine grew out of concern that... broadcasters should make sure they did not use their stations simply as advocates with a singular perspective. Rather, they must allow all points of view.
--Museum of Broadcast Communications

FCC Decency regulations have nothing to do with the Fairness Doctrine.