You know what the world needs less of? Business advice from people in moribund media businesses. Bill Press argues in the Washington Post for a resurrection of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, under which the federal government is empowered to in effect censor political programming on television and radio. Liberal talk-radio hosts have mostly failed (cf. Air America, &c.) but have no fear, Bill Press is on the case to tell you everything you ever needed to know about business but were afraid to ask:

Station owners complain they can’t get good ratings or make any money with progressive talk, but that’s nonsense. In Minnesota, independent owner Janet Robert has operated KTNF (950 AM) profitably for five years. In Madison, Wis., WXXM, 92.1 FM, just scored its highest ratings ever. And KPOJ in Portland, Ore., soared with progressive talk from No. 23 in market ratings to No. 1. Nationwide, progressive talkers Randi Rhodes, Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller have proven that, given a level playing field, they can more than hold their own in ratings — and make money for their stations.

Wow, a lefty turned a profit–for five whole years!–in Minnesota? You don’t say. And Madison? And Portland? You can make money selling bongs and enchiladas in Austin, too, but that doesn’t mean you have a viable nationwide business model.

Press calls the success of conservative talk radio a “conspiracy,” but his article is part of a shameful campaign to use the government to censor voices he doesn’t want to hear. Press, a former chairman of the Democratic party in California, knows very well that there is an organized effort afoot in his party to silence broadcast critics. As somebody who has made a career enjoying the protection of the First Amendment, he should be ashamed of himself.

This is particularly galling since Press has a radio show of his own. He’s essentially advocating that the government remove his competition in order to create economic opportunities for himself. Did the Washington Post not think this was a rather serious conflict of interest? Mightn’t they have mentioned this fact in the editor’s note, other than merely to write that the author is the host of the “The Bill Press Show”? (Which nobody has ever heard of.) This is wrong on all levels.