Federal Communication Commissions

Federal Communication Commissions

The anticipation of the Federal Communication Commissions 2014 meeting to review media ownership looms as 2013 approaches. With all the angst of a presidential election, the proverbial line in the sand has been drawn. On one side consumer groups vie for support to restrict ownership and on the opposing side are the media industries and its conglomerates opposing limitations and demanding deregulation. According to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC is required to meet every 4 years to review ownership rules to verify whether or not the media ownership rules are in the public interest.



Legal Authority of the FCC and its History

The FCC administers all broadcasting and imposes the requirements for wire and wireless communications through its rules and regulations. The archetypes for the FCC's broadcasting regulations were formed before the Communications Act of 1934 by its predecessor the Federal Radio Commission. Unequivocal jurisdiction over broadcast was not granted to the federal government to exclusively regulate broadcast but a year prior to the establishment of the FCC the Supreme Court inferred it as explicit and prohibited the states from obstructing its authority. Title I of the 1934 Act defines many of the FCC's powers related to broadcasting. The title states that the Act "applies to all interstate and foreign communications by wire or radio." The FCC has jurisdiction in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions such as Puerto Rico,

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