Debate Topic:
Free Airtime for Politicians vs. Broadcasters’ First Amendment Freedom
Politicians spent a record breaking $1 billion on television advertising in
2002, according to the Alliance for Better Campaigns (http://bettercampaigns.org/press/release.php?ReleaseID=40).
Running for election has become so expensive that only those candidates with the
deepest pockets, or with the richest contributors, find themselves able to seek
an office. This does not seem fair to Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.), Russell
Feingold (D-Wisc.), and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.). These three men recently
introduced the Political Campaign Broadcast Activity Improvements Act to reform
campaign spending.
As a high-level summary, the bill would require that: (1) Broadcasters charge
candidates the lowest possible fee to advertise in the weeks leading up to an
election; (2) All radio and TV stations must air a minimum of two hours per week
of candidate-centered or issues-centered programming for a period of 6 weeks
leading up to the election; (3) Vouchers may be used to pay for paid political
advertising on broadcast stations. These vouchers will be financed – in part –
by the licensing fee broadcasters pay for spectrum space.
This proposed act has broadcasters screaming “unfair”! They feel that anyone
telling them what they must broadcast over the airwaves is a direct violation of
their First Amendment freedom of speech. Those who support campaign finance
reform argue that broadcasters don’t own the spectrum space. Rather, they
license it. And in return, they promise to serve in the public’s best interest,
convenience or necessity.
Reformers believe broadcasters are obliged to provide free airtime to candidates
in order to fulfill the requirement of their licensing agreement. Broadcasters
couldn’t disagree more.
Instructions:
Pick a side to debate: Argue either in support of free airtime for politicians
through the Political Campaign Broadcast Activity Improvements Act OR in support
of broadcasters’ First Amendment rights. Both sides should review the following
web links, as well as any other research, that helps them build a credible
argument in support of their position.
Alliance for Better Campaigns:
http://bettercampaigns.org/
Political Campaign Broadcast Activity Improvements Act
http://freeairtime.org/docs/index.php?DocID=36
NAB: What the Broadcasters Say
http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/Issues/campaignfinance/default.asp
Public Citizen: A National Non-Profit Public Interest Organization
http://www.citizen.org/congress/campaign/issues/free_tv/#links