National Association of Broadcasters Engineering Handbook, 10th Edition

CHAPTER 1.3 FCC Organization and Administrative Practices

JOAN M.S. DOLLARHITE

National Association of Broadcasters Washington, D.C.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates television, radio, wire, satellite, and cable in all of the 50 states and U.S. territories. Congress, through adoption of the Communications Act of 1934, created the FCC as an independent regulatory agency directly responsible to Congress. Section I of the Act specifies that the FCC was created:

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 ...