The Republicans are horribly upset about an FCC study -- which the agency is required by law to conduct -- that is "intended to examine barriers of entry into the news media industry for small businesses." So naturally they're screaming bloody murder, carping that... gasp!!!... it could lead to the return of the Fairness Doctrine. And of course the pundits at Fox like Charles Krauthammer are up in arms as well.

From Fox's blog: ‘This Is An Outrage Disguised As a Study’: Krauthammer Blasts FCC’s Proposed Media Monitoring Study:

A ‘Special Report’ panel today discussed a proposed FCC study, which would send government monitors into newsrooms across the country. The study was brought to the public’s attention by FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, who published an op-ed about it in the Wall Street Journal.

“As if the IRS and the EPA and the NLRB haven’t done enough damage, the FCC now has to trample on what rights are remaining,” Charles Krauthammer said. “This is an outrage disguised as a study.”

In a statement, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said, “The Commission has no intention of regulating political or other speech of journalists or broadcasts by way of this research design, any resulting study, or through any other means. The research design is a precursor to any formal study. If used in any way, its goal would be similar to those of past reports seeking to identify whether potential market barriers exist and, if so, whether those barriers affect diversity of media voices.”

Krauthammer said there are more media today than in the history of mankind, “including cave drawings.” He said the House of Representatives should pass a law withholding every penny from any such study.

Krauthammer claimed that there's plenty of diversity in the media, but failed to mention that fact that 90% of the media is now controlled by just six companies. Sorry Charles, but this isn't my idea of a "diverse media."