Broadcaster Fairness Bill OKd by Panel

WASHINGTON — A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved a bill that would write into law a fairness doctrine requiring broadcasters to air opposing sides of controversial issues.

The House Energy and Commerce telecommunications and finance subcommittee, on a voice vote, sent the bill to the full Energy and Commerce Committee after amending it to assure broadcasters that violation of the doctrine would not be a criminal act.

The Federal Communications Commission repealed its fairness doctrine in 1987. A federal appeals court in February ruled that the FCC had the statutory authority to do so, but it did not rule on the issue of the doctrine's constitutionality.