BOB GARFIELD: So-- the Fairness Doctrine. Probably not coming back, right?

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Nope.

BOB GARFIELD: Wanna unwind?

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Yep. [STUDIO DOOR CLOSES, BAR AMBIENCE] [DRYDEN TICKLING THE IVORIES]

DRYDEN: Hello, there, Mr. Bob. Ms. Brooke. Haven't seen you guys for a while.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: It's been busy.

DRYDEN: So what'll it be? The usual?

BOB GARFIELD: Oh...why not? Brooke?

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Sure. [SONG ENSUES TO TUNE OF "'TIL THERE WAS YOU"]

BROOKE GLADSTONE: THERE WERE WAVES, IN THE AIR THAT WERE BARELY REGULATED. THEY WERE BARELY REGULATED. BROADCAST WAS NEW.

BOB GARFIELD: DAYS OF YORE, 34, RULES AND REGS WERE THEN ENACTED, BUT WERE ALMOST ALL REDACTED BAD LUCK FOR YOU.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: AND THERE WERE MOGULS AND SUCH CONCENTRATION IT SCARED YOU AND MAIL DELUGED CAPITOL HILL - WHAT A THRILL WERE THERE BALLS ON THE HILL STANDING UP TO OLIGARCHY, SAYING NO TO THEIR MALARKEY, IT SEEMS TOO FEW.

BOB GARFIELD: THE FCC, AND BROADCAST LOBBY, LET THE FOXES GUARD THE HENHOUSE, WHICH IS GREAT FOR FOX AND MICKEY MOUSE, BUT NOT FOR YOU.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: AND THEN CLEAR CHANNEL, MADE CONGRESS LOOK SO BAD IT HAD TO BACK UP AND LEAVE SOME RULES IN PLACE EGG ON FACE.

BOB GARFIELD: WE HAD MANY LICENSEES WHOSE BEHAVIOR WE SO HATED WHOSE BEHAVIOR WE SO HATED TILL THERE WAS YOU BROOK & BOB TOGETHER: WHOSE BEHAVIOR WE SO HATED-- TILL THERE WAS-- YOU-- [APPLAUSE]

MAN: You kids are good.

ARUN RATH: [VERY FAST] Views expressed in song do not necessarily represent the opinions of NPR, WNYC Radio or the rest of the On the Media staff. [THEME MUSIC UP AND UNDER]

BOB GARFIELD: Yeah, I guess I feel better now. That's it for this week's show which was part of Public Radio's special coverage "Whose Democracy Is It?" On the Media was produced by Janeen Price, Katya Rogers, Megan Ryan and Tony Field, engineered by Dylan Keefe, Rob Christiansen, George Edwards, and Jennifer Munson, and edited-- by Brooke. We had help from Sharon Ball, Dave Goldberg and John Dryden. Our webmaster is Amy Pearl.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Arun Rath is our senior producer and Dean Cappello our executive producer. Bassist/composer Ben Allison wrote our theme. You can listen to the program and get free transcripts and MP3 downloads at onthemedia.org and e-mail us at onthemedia@wnyc.org. This is On the Media from NPR. I'm Brooke Gladstone.

BOB GARFIELD: And I'm Bob Garfield.