80 Years Of Regulating Radio & TV
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) -- I don't typically write a blog about a topic that people may not know much about, but this year is the 80th anniversary of the passage of the Communications Act of 1934.
This legislation, signed into law on June 19, 1934 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, replaced the Federal Radio Act of 1927 and the Mann-Elkins Act of 1910 (the latter which governed telephone service).
With the rapid growth of communication services such as radio, telephone, and wire (domestically and internationally), the Act's purpose was to regulate interstate and foreign commerce in communications and to make available to all citizens of the US a rapid and efficient communication service with facilities at reasonable charges and for the purpose of national defense (in a reference to events that were beginning to unfold in Europe). The act created the Federal Communications Commission which today regulates radio, television, cable systems, telephone, wireless, satellite, and internet.
One of the most important events that took place early in its history was a U.S. Supreme Court case: National Broadcasting Company, Inc., et al. v. United States et al on May 10, 1943.
In this landmark case, the Court held that the FCC had the right to issue regulations that pertained to associations between the radio networks and their affiliates. As a result, NBC was forced to sell one of its two radio networks -- the Blue Network -- and this created the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
The FCC consists of five commissioners who may serve 5 year terms. Under the commissioners are various bureaus that oversee certain communication services. For example, the Media Bureau is responsible for overseeing the regulation and policy making toward radio, television, and cable television. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau oversees the domestic wireless telecommunications area.
Most FCC commissioners typically have broad experience primarily in the legislative and legal areas of government, but not always. Years ago at a NATPE convention, I had the pleasure of meeting FCC Commissioner Jim Quello and riding in a taxi with him. Quello, a Detroit broadcaster at WXYZ and WJR Radio, was one of the few people who actually worked in the broadcasting industry who understood how things worked. He was the nicest man and as fate would have it, I was blessed with having had that brief moment with a guy who served the FCC for 23 years with great honor and distinction.
The Act was amended significantly with the Telecommunications Act of 1995 which, among other items, deregulated cross-ownership which permitted companies to own more stations than had been previously allowed under law.
See you next time.
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