Public Interest Obligations

A look at the main developments and effects of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling so far and suggestions for stations.

The Federal Communications Commission says that, in exchange for the right to use the airwaves we all own, a broadcaster must operate in the "public interest," airing "programming that is...

Federal Communications Commission Michael Copps identified a two-prong challenge before the Commission: ensuring that the Internet of the future can support the information infrastructure which democracy requires and, stemming the decline of traditional media journalism that still supplies the overwhelming bulk of our news and information.

Federal Communications Commission member Mignon Clyburn was supportive of the National Broadband Plan, but raised concerns about spectrum reclamation which could "further decimate the prospects for women and minority owners" of broadcast outlets.

Los Angeles may be hemorrhaging red ink, but "if it bleeds it leads" doesn't apply to news coverage of its fiscal woes.

Broadcasters are licensed to serve the public interest. But do they?

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's recent call to identify 500 MHz of new spectrum for mobile broadband was his proposal to "buy back" licenses from the TV broadcasters. That implies that broadcasters own those licenses in the first place or even paid for them.

The Federal Communications Commission has started to dig through its backlog of indecency complaints. This predictably triggers some cheap shots at the FCC.

At the Federal Communications Commission's Future of Media workshop, Jerry Fritz of Allbritton Communications was asked whether there were any stations not fulfilling their public interest programming obligations. Fritz challenged the FCC's right to define what those obligations are for every TV and radio station in the country.

Speaking at the FCC's Future of the Media workshop, Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps noted that he has been trying to revitalize the public interest -- especially in broadcasting -- since he joined the Commission nearly nine years ago. He said the FCC and the private sector have dropped the ball for the past 30 years.