Broadcasting legislation

Broadcast law is the field of law that pertains to broadcasting. These laws and regulations pertain to radio stations and TV stations, and are also considered to include closely related services like cable TV and cable radio, as well as satellite TV and satellite radio. Likewise, it also extends to broadcast networks.

Broadcast law includes technical parameters for these facilities, as well as content issues like copyright, profanity, and localism or regionalism.

In the US, broadcasting falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission.

Some of the more notable aspects of broadcast law involve:

The Radio Act of 1927 was the first major broadcasting law in the country. Among its provisions was the equal opportunity provision, providing a foundation for the equal time rule. This provision requires radio and television stations and cable systems which originate their own programming to treat legally qualified political candidates equally when it comes to selling or giving away air time. Concerns that, without mandated equal opportunity for candidates, some broadcasters might try to manipulate elections led to its creation by legislators(1). The Communications Act of 1934 amended the Radio Act and the equal time provision is located Section 315 of the Communications Act.

The Communications Act of 1934 was another hallmark moment in broadcasting law history, because it created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the purpose of "regulating interstate and foreign commerce in communication by wire and radio so as to make available, so far as possible, to all the people of the United States, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, a rapid, efficient, Nationwide, and world wide wire and radio communications service . . . ." (In this context, the word "radio" covers both broadcast radio and television.) The FCC has the authority to "make such regulations not inconsistent with law as it may deem necessary to prevent interference between stations and to carry out the provisions of [the] Act(2)."

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