Commercial speech hasn’t always been afforded First Amendment protection like hard news (See post "Left, Right, Left"). Conversely, editorial content is what serves up an audience for advertisement, and advertisement supplements the First Amendment.
Good journalists will show both sides of the story for hard news. But choosing which stories to editorialize is an issue that involves the organization’s medium (radio, print, web), its targeted audience and which issues are important to it, as well as issues of taste and sensibility.
It’s no secret that conservatives have a stronghold on the editorial content of radio broadcasts. Just listen to Rush Limbaugh. Likewise, liberals have a firm grasp on any station incorporating NBC into its name (MSNBC, CNBC, etc…). Just listen to Keith Olbermann. And the list goes on.
The point is, forcing radio stations to broadcast opposing editorial shows is wrong. Should it make sense to do so, the market for advertising will be there and allow it to happen. Just look at NPR; it’s not your typical talk-show station. But, if the market is not there, the government should not force a radio station to supplement shows with opposing views or slash the airtime already afforded current shows to conform to some editorial equality standard.
Good editorial content and open debate are necessary and the First Amendment protects this. The government needs to stop trying to circumvent it.
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