I think you are right about the detractors doing better when the opposition is in power. While a good journalist should always be asking tough questions and keeping the elected officials on their toes, it seems that the 24/7 world we now live in demands everything fast and first. It is the loudest voices that command attention and accuracy and accountability go out the window.

To be honest, I'm not sure where I stand on the Fairness Doctrine. On one hand the airwaves are public and all voices should be heard, but I'm not sure that a doctrine demanding an alternate view be presented is the right way to go. It is not an issue of free speech, but rather an issue of opportunity to enable speech. Worse than the loss of the Fairness Doctrine was the elimination of ownership rules which enabled a handful of owners to buy up all the stations. It used to be that you could not own more than one station in a market. Tough calls.