Working with the FCC

About The FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is one of the more important and powerful federal agencies in the United States’ government. The FCC regulates communications by telephones, television, radio, newspapers, wire, cable, satellite, and the Internet. It is one all Americans should be interested in as their actions affect not only the business sector, but important aspects of our daily lives.

The FCC is an independent United States government agency and was established by the Communications Act of 1934. Its jurisdiction covers all 50 states and territories and reports directly to Congress. The FCC regulates all interstate radio and wireline communications. Its purpose in regulation is to "make available to all the people of the United States, without discrimination, a rapid, efficient, nation-wide, and world-wide wore and radio communication service with adequate facilities at reasonable charges."

The FCC is directed by five Commissioners. All five are appointed by the President and must be confirmed by the Senate. Only three Commissioners can be of the same political party and none can have a financial interest in any Commission-related business. From the five Commissioners, the President selects one person to serve as Chair. All the Commissioners, including the Chair, have a five-year term, except when filling an unexpired term. By tradition, the Chair resigns when a new President is elected.

The Current Commissioners

Each Commissioner has legal advisors that specialize in certain areas of the FCC. For example, some advisors work on media issues, others work on telephone issues. The Commissioners' websites describe their staff responsibilities.

The FCC delegates responsibilities to six Bureaus and eleven staff offices, which are organized by function. The Chair of the FCC generally sets the FCC’s agenda and directs the work of the Bureaus. The Bureaus do most of the legwork of the agency and are responsible for processing applications for licenses and other filings, analyzing complaints, conducting investigations, developing and implementing rules, and holding hearings, among other things. The major bureaus are:

Consumer and Government Affairs — This bureau educates and informs consumers about telecommunications goods and services and gives input to the Commission concerning the public interest. This is a good place to go for information in plain English or if you have a complaint. Contact the staff for more information.

Media Bureau — This bureau regulates AM, FM radio and television broadcast stations, and cable TV. Contact the staff for more information.

Wireline Competition Bureau — This bureau is responsible for the rules and policies concerning telephone companies that provide services to the public through the use of wire-based transmission facilities (corded/cordless telephones). Contact the staff for more information.

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau — This bureau oversees cellular and PCS phones, pagers and two-way radios. They also regulate the use of radio spectrum. Contact the staff for more information.

Enforcement Bureau - This bureau enforces the Communications Act, as well as the Commission’s rules, orders, and authorizations. Contact the staff for more information.

The Offices generally provide support services for the whole agency. This two most important offices are:

Office of The General Counsel — This office serves as chief legal advisor to the Commission's various Bureaus and Offices. Contact the staff for more information.

The Office of the Secretary — This office oversees the receipt and distribution of documents filed by the public through electronic and paper filing systems. It also gives legal notice of Commission decisions by publishing them in the Federal Register and the FCC Record. Contact the staff for more information.

More About:

The FCC Decision-Making Process

Contacting the FCC for More General Information

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