The possibility of the radio airwaves returning to a content regulation policy abandoned two decades ago is getting some reconsideration in Washington.

Originally introduced in 1949, the Fairness Doctrine required radio stations to present both sides of controversial issues of public concern. The FCC found the regulation unconstitutional in 1987 and President Reagan vetoed an attempt by Congress to reinstate it.

The issue reached renewed prominence last month when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she would support a revival of the doctrine in response to a question at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast with the press.

Prominent Democrats such as Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., also have expressed support of such an initiative.

President Bush has promised to veto any such doctrine and both presidential candidates also are against it. But with the election just around the corner, some Republicans fear a Democratic new majority could bring about a second coming of the old ways.

Under a Fairness Doctrine- type of system, if a radio talk show host wanted to discuss an issue such as abortion, they also would have to present opposing arguments along with their own.

Some fear this would end religious and political talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, whose commentary would be muffled by enforcement.

Nearly a year ago, the House passed a one-year moratorium on funding any Federal Communications Commission re-imposition of the doctrine. The bill was pushed by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., a former radio talk show host.

Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.,said he voted in favor of the moratorium and would continue to oppose any kind of Fairness Doctrine.

"I think once you start down the road of trying to dictate content, it gets very problematic," he said.

Duane Sand, Pomeroy's Republican challenger, is still be looking into the issue, said his campaign manager, Matt Dabrowski.

"Although issues of talk radio are important," Debrowski said, "but to fight about this stuff in an election year is why Congress has failed us."

Shortly after passage of the moratorium Pence also introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2007 to put a permanent ban on any Fairness Doctrine-like policy not approved by Congress.

This act was referred to subcommittee last year, where it has sat ever since. Pence is 20 signatures shy of the 218 needed for a discharge petition, which would force a vote.

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y., is one of the strong proponents of returning to this kind of system. In January 2005, she introduced the Fairness and Accountability in Broadcasting Act, which was similiar to the Fairness Doctrine, but was never voted on.

(Reach reporter Chris Rosacker at 250-8254 or at chris.rosacker@bismarcktribune.com.)