Final answer:
The Fairness Doctrine, a defunct policy of the FCC from 1949, required broadcasters to present balanced coverage of controversial issues. Enforcement ended in 1985, and it was repealed in 1987, resulting in more editorial freedom for broadcasters but also concerns about imbalance in media.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fairness Doctrine was a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy established in 1949. Its purpose was to ensure that holders of broadcast licenses presented coverage of controversial issues in a balanced manner, which implied airing opposing viewpoints. However, it is no longer in effect as the FCC ceased enforcement in 1985, and the doctrine was officially repealed by the FCC in 1987.
The doctrine's repeal followed various court cases suggesting that the requirement limited the debate of controversial issues and improperly placed the government in an editorial role. Furthermore, the contemporary media landscape has seen allegations of the FCC taking a lax approach to enforce other related rules, including the 'equal time rule' regarding political campaigns; this rule was also suspended in May 2014, which further reduces the extent of media policing by the FCC.
While the Fairness Doctrine once mandated a balanced approach to controversial topics on the airwaves, today's broadcasters are no longer under such obligation. This has significantly changed the media environment, allowing for more editorial freedom but also raising concerns about imbalance and partisanship in news coverage.