RealClearPolitics has video from a Rules Committee hearing this week on the bill to de-fund public broadcasting. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., proposed an amendment to "de-fund" FOX News as well, by depriving it of government advertising:
"Over the past several years, it has become clear that the Fox News channel is wildly biased. They continue to employ a talk show host who called President Obama a racist. They continue to employ several prospective Republican Presidential candidates as “analysts,” giving them hours and hours of free air time. And their parent company has donated millions to GOP-linked groups.
My amendment would prohibit federal funds – taxpayer dollars – from being used for advertising on the partisan, political platform of Fox News."
Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif., took issue with McGovern for comparing the public broadcast subsidy with advertising, in which the government pays for airtime, but I don't think that's the best response. House Republicans should look to end all television and radio advertising by federal government.
When there is a legitimate issue for the public's attention, the news media publicizes it. When there's an emergency, we have the emergency broadcast system. But advertising, that's just a waste of money -- welfare for Madison Avenue:
