Tutorial on Broadcasting & the Public

Broadcasting & the Public

The Public and Broadcasting is a manual written by the FCC. This manual's purpose is to provide information to help you encourage stations to provide high quality broadcasting service. An informed public plays a vital role in helping stations serve the local community's needs. The manual provides a brief overview of the regulation of broadcast radio and television. It also discusses how broadcast stations are licensed, how they are obligated to serve their local communities, and how other requirements relate to broadcast programming and advertising. The Public and Broadcasting also describes the public inspection file, which contains documents relevant to the station's operation. This file is maintained and made available to the public by all radio and TV stations.

The FCC allocates new stations based both on the needs and interest of communities for additional broadcast stations and on engineering standards that prevent interference between stations. However, broadcasters -- not the FCC or any other government agency -- are responsible for selecting all the material they air. The FCC does not censor broadcast matter and their role in overseeing the content of programming is very limited. But stations are not allowed to broadcast indecent material during certain hours.

You may file a complaint about indecent broadcasts.

Broadcast television stations and other types of TV channels (such as cable TV) are very different. Cable TV channels are subject to different FCC rules than broadcast stations. Generally, this manual relates only to broadcast TV and radio stations.

All broadcast stations must receive a license from the FCC to broadcast. Before anyone can build a new TV or radio station, they must first apply to the FCC for a construction permit. After they build the station they must file a license application to certify that they have constructed the station consistently with the construction permit.

The FCC licenses radio and TV stations for a period of up to eight years. Before a station's license can be renewed, it must be determined whether it has served the public interest. Anyone can file a formal protest against a station by filing a petition to deny its renewal application, but this is often not very successful. Meeting with the station’s manager can be much more effective.

Taking Action

Broadcast stations have an obligation to serve their local community's needs and interests and to comply with certain programming and other rules. Because the FCC does not monitor a station's programming, viewers and listeners are a vital source of information about the programming and possible rule violations. The documents in each station's public inspection file have information about the station that can assist the public in this important role.

FCC's rules require all broadcast stations and applicants for new stations to maintain a file available for public inspection. By law they are required to provide information to the public when requested. This file contains all documents relevant to the station’s operation including:

The License
Application and Renewal Materials
Citizen Agreements
Material Relating to an FCC Investigation or Complaint
Ownership Reports
List of Contracts to be Filed with the FCC
Political Files
Copies of The Public and Broadcasting Manual
Letters and E-mail from the Public
Children’s Television Programming Reports
List of Donors

You can go to the headquarters of your local broadcaster and review their public inspection file. The station must make its public inspection file available at its main studio at any time during regular business hours. Take a copy of this Public Notice or The Public and Broadcasting Manual when you go to your broadcast station. This is a notice from the FCC instructing all broadcast stations to maintain local records for public inspection.

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