FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski

The Fairness Doctrine, formerly a cornerstone of broadcasting rules, will be deleted from the Federal Communications Commisssion’s regulations.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the action Monday, as part of a larger agency effort to review and revise media rules. Genachowski also announced the elimination of 82 other rules the agency believes are no longer needed.

Genachowski previously called for the permanent deletion of the Fairness Doctrine, which has not been actively enforced since 1987.

“The elimination of the obsolete Fairness Doctrine regulations will remove an unnecessary distraction,” Genachowski said. “As I have said, striking this from our books ensures there can be no mistake that what has long been a dead letter remains dead.

The Fairness Doctrine, enacted in 1949, previously required licensed radio and television broadcasters to give equal time to differing political views.