00                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 32                                                                     
01 Supporting open and free competition within the broadcasting industry.                                                  
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS Alaskans deserve a media venue in which the issues are debated freely                                   
04 and openly; and                                                                                                         
05       WHEREAS, in the past, the Federal Communications Commission regulations have                                    
06 caused the broadcasting industry to avoid important issues relevant to the United States; and                           
07       WHEREAS lifting the Fairness Doctrine opened the public airwaves to vigorous                                    
08 healthy discussion of controversial issues; and                                                                         
09       WHEREAS talk radio has emerged as a forum for public debate among people with                                   
10 differing political views across Alaska and the United States; and                                                      
11       WHEREAS the First Amendment right of free speech applies regardless of the                                      
12 medium; and                                                                                                             
13       WHEREAS Americans are entitled to hear all of the facts and arguments on every                                  
14 side of an issue, no matter how controversial;                                                                          
15       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports open and free                                         
16 competition within the broadcasting industry to promote healthy debate on issues between                                
01 people with differing backgrounds and from a wide variety of viewpoints; and be it                                      
02       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes federal action                                       
03 that would reverse or inhibit open and free competition within the broadcasting industry.                               
04       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the                                    
05 Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.                                              
06 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.