Broadcasting Regulations

Red Lion Broadcasting v. FCC (1969) said a regulation using the fairness
doctrine to give a journalist airtime to respond to allegations did not
violate the First Amendment.

FCC v. National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting (1978) said the FCC had
the right to further the First Amendment by restricting media concentration
in communities.

U.S. v. Playboy Entertainment Group (2000) said a regulation requiring
cable providers to show sexually-oriented material at night only violated
the First Amendment.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
(1994) held that different First Amendment standards applied to cable
television and broadcast media.

National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943) upheld FCC content-based
regulations on broadcast media, finding they did not violate First
Amendment free speech rights.

Metro Broadcasting v. Federal Communications Commission (1990) upheld
affirmative action policies favoring minorities in broadcast licensing to
promote programming diversity.

Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association v. United States (1999) struck
down a law that violated the First Amendment by prohibiting broadcasting
advertisements for casinos.

The Supreme Court upheld an easing of broadcast ownership rules in Federal
Communications Commission vs. Prometheus Radio Project, rejecting that the
change could reduce minority ownership.