The Fairness Doctrine was a policy promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) that required broadcast licensees to cover issues of public importance and to do so in a fair manner. In practice, it required broadcasters to identify issues of public importance, decide to cover those issues, and then to afford the best representatives of the opposing views on the issue the opportunity to present their case to the community. On August 22, 2011, FCC Chair Julius Genachowski announced the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine: