The public can determine whether they are within a stations blanketing contour by consulting contour maps in the stations public inspection file to see if they reside in close proximity to the offending stations transmitter site. Video Description A license would be issued only if public broadcasting in the united states quizlet. Many types of contests, depending on their particulars, also are covered under this definition. What about cable, satellite TV and satellite radio? The Communications Act. In 2016, the Commission continued its modernization effort by requiring that broadcast radio licensees also post their public file documents to the FCC-hosted online public file. WTTW How Hip Hop Changed the World Fight the Power Hip Hop is adopted as the voice of protest around the world. Federal law prohibits the airing of advertising for cigarettes, little cigars, smokeless tobacco, and chewing tobacco on radio, TV, or any other medium of electronic communication under the FCC's jurisdiction. How the FCC Adopts Rules In terms of providing culture of all kinds (e.g., drama, music), education, news, current affairs, programming for children, and documentaries, PSB was remarkably successful. Tobacco and Alcohol Advertising Programming Inciting "Imminent Lawless Action" Additional information about the audio description requirements can be found on our website at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/audio-description. The Montgomery bus boycott began after ______ refused to give up her seat for a white man. Depending on the nature of the advertisement, you should contact these agencies regarding advertisements that you believe may be false or misleading. Please be aware that we can only act on allegations that a station has violated a provision of the Communications Act or the FCC's rules or policies. This fact sheet was compiled by Senior Researcher Michael Barthel and Research Assistant Kirsten Worden. PBS and American Public Television (formerly Eastern Educational Television Network) distribute television programs to a nationwide system of independently owned and operated television stations (some having the term "PBS" in their branding) supported largely by state and federal governments as well as viewer support (including from pledge drives that many public television outlets carry for two- to three-week periods at least twice per year, at dates that vary depending on the station or regional network), with commercial underwriters donating to specific programs and receiving a short thanks for their contributions. Employment Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") If this phenomenon does occur with a television station, the Media Bureaus Video Division will handle complaints on a case-by-case basis, subject to the radio guidelines noted below. Each commercial full power and Class A station must keep a copy of its decision in the public file for the three-year period to which it pertains. The FCC allocates a portion of the broadcast spectrum to new broadcast stations based upon both the relative needs of various communities for additional broadcast outlets, and specified engineering standards designed to prevent interference among stations and other communications users. (For example, if the license expires on December 1, we must receive any petition at our Washington, D.C. headquarters by the end of the day on November 1.) Licensee Discretion. We urge you to make use of the resources contained on this site, which may outline more recent developments in the law not discussed in the current version of this Manual. Program owners must send program files to distributors and providers with all required captions and use an agreed upon mechanism to inform the distributors and providers of the programming that is subject to the requirements. Large media conglomerates own approximately ________ percent of daily newspapers. The FCC also approved digital operation for AM and FM radio broadcast stations (HD radio). Introduction. Children's Television Programming Reports Support for continuing CPB funding by liberals, independents and many conservatives in Congress has led to many of these efforts being defeated at the federal level, although there have been successful attempts to reduce though not eliminate funding for public television stations by some state legislatures. Profane Material. Applications for License Renewal Acceptable enhanced underwriting acknowledgements of for-profit donors or underwriters may include: (1) logograms and slogans that identify but do not promote; (2) location information; (3) value-neutral descriptions of a product line or service; and (4) brand names, trade names, and product service listings. Frequencies used for broadcasting were to be held by the government, not owned by licensees. Comprehensive studies by the Government Accountability Office and other organizations have concluded that private financing would not be universally available to public television and radio stations in less densely populated areas to sufficiently replace taxpayer funding that makes up 40% to 50% of the annual budgets of some stations, and ensure universal access to public broadcasting services. However, if you believe that an advertisement is offensive because of the nature of the item advertised, the scheduling of the announcement, or the way the message is presented, you should consider addressing your complaint directly to the station or network involved, providing the date and time of the broadcast and the product or advertiser in question. Purpose of the File Violent Programming The Childrens Television Act of 1990 (CTA) imposes two requirements on television broadcasters relating to children's video programming: Commercial Limits. The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established the "separate but equal" rule. TV stations also may identify their digital multicast programming streams separately if they want, and, if so, must follow the format described in the FCCs rules. Station licensees, as the trustees of the publics airwaves, must use the broadcast medium to serve the public interest. The report contains a listing of the programming the station aired that the licensee believes provided significant treatment of issues facing the community. The programming must further the educational and informational needs of children 16 years old and under (this includes their intellectual/cognitive or social/emotional needs). We have created contact points at the Commission, accessible via toll-free telephone numbers or over the Internet, dedicated to providing information to members of the public regarding how they can become involved in the Commissions processes. The First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech similarly protects programming that stereotypes or may otherwise offend people with regard to their religion, race, national background, gender, or other characteristics. Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All television sets with screens 13 inches or larger manufactured since mid-1993, including digital sets, have built-in decoder circuitry. With respect to the display of Internet website addresses during childrens programming, the Commission permits them to be displayed during program material (in a crawl or scroll at the bottom of the screen, for example) only if the website: 1) offers a substantial amount of bona fide program-related or other noncommercial content; 2) is not primarily intended for commercial purposes, including either e-commerce or advertising; 3) the websites home page and other menu pages are clearly labeled to distinguish the noncommercial from the commercial sections; and 4) the page of the website to which viewers are directed by the website address is not used for e-commerce, advertising, or other commercial purposes (e.g., contains no links labeled store and no links to another page with commercial material). In 2012, the FCC modernized its public inspection file requirements by mandating that full power and Class A TV stations make their public inspection files available through a Commission-hosted online public file, https://publicfiles.fcc.gov. a small number of giant, privately owned corporations control most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites. All the major broadcast networks and most of the major cable networks encode their programming with this ratings information to work with the V-Chip. Nevertheless, there are two issues related to broadcast journalism that are subject to Commission regulation: hoaxes and news distortion. To receive the digital signals of stations that choose to operate in digital, consumers will have to purchase new receivers. In addition to (or instead of) filing a complaint, you can file a petition to deny or an informal objection to an application that a station licensee has filed, such as a license renewal application. Email: tvinfo@fcc.gov. The U.S. government operates some limited direct broadcasting services, but all are either highly specialized (and, since the dawn of the millennium, automated) information services (WWV/WWVH time service, NOAA Weather Radio) or targeted at foreign audiences like Voice of America. Networks, broadcasters, and subscription TV systems may provide information about the availability of programs with audio description through their websites and in program guides. The financial picture for news outlets in public broadcasting appeared strong both locally and nationally. Rather, a petition to deny or informal objection against a stations license renewal application must either be filed electronically in the FCCs electronic database for that application, or by mail. Programming AccessBroadcast Programming: Law and Policy on Specific Kinds of Programming More information about this ratings program, including a description of each ratings category, can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/v-chip-putting-restrictions-what-yo. Station Identification. Additionally, certain navigation devices must make on-screen text menus and guides used for the display or selection of video programming audibly accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. Broadcast licenses generally expire on a staggered basis, by state, with most radio licenses expiring between October 1, 2019, and August 1, 2022, and most television licenses expiring between October 1, 2020, and August 1, 2023, one year after the radio licenses in the same state. It was foreseeable that broadcasting the false information would cause such harm. The broadcast must cause direct and actual damage to property or to the health or safety of the general public, or diversion of law enforcement or other public health and safety authorities from their duties, and the public harm must begin immediately. Indecent material is protected by the First Amendment, so its broadcast cannot constitutionally be prohibited at all times. The purpose of this Manual is to provide you with the basic tools necessary to ensure that the stations that are licensed to serve you meet their obligations and provide high quality broadcast service. IntroductionThe FCC And Its Regulatory Authority Unlike National Public Radio, however, PBS largely does not produce any of the programs it broadcasts nor has an in-house news division; all PBS programs are produced by individual member stations and outside production firms for distribution to its member stations through the network feed. For additional information about the rule concerning lotteries, see https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/broadcasting-contests-lotteries-and-solicitation-funds. Since 2000, all sets manufactured with screens 13 inches or larger must contain the V-Chip technology. Explain the difference between compliance and conformity. During American radio's Golden Age, much of the programming heard by listeners was controlled by advertising agencies . Effective technical assistance does not mean referring the complainant to the equipment manufacturer. The applicant must demonstrate that it is qualified to construct and operate the station as specified in its application and that its proposed facility will not cause objectionable interference to any other station. Most broadcast stations have an obligation to provide news, public affairs, and other programming that addresses important issues facing its community. Offensive Advertising. (Traditional radio listening is terrestrial, i.e., coming from radio broadcast towers rather than satellites or the internet.) What does public broadcasting mean? Meaning of public broadcasting. Host Selling. Additional information about the Commissions Offices and Bureaus, including their respective functions, can be found on our website by selecting Browse by Bureaus and Offices at https://www.fcc.gov/. The practice of training reporters to produce a standardized, seemingly neutral news product was the result of the newspaper industry's realization that the best way to make a profit was to not alienate potential readers who held liberal or conservative political views. Public radio and television stations often produce their own programs as well as purchase additional programming from national producers and program distributors such as NPR, PBS, Public Radio International (PRI), American Public Television (APT), American Public Media (APM), and Public Radio Exchange (PRX). U.S. federal government support for public radio and television is filtered through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which operates as a separate organization. They also decide how their programs will be structured and whether to edit or reschedule material for broadcasting. Phone: (20) 418-2700 Because digital radio technology allows a radio station to transmit simultaneously in both analog and digital, listeners can use their current radios to receive the analog signals of radio stations that transmit both analog and digital signals. The Federal Trade Commission has primary responsibility for determining whether an advertisement is false or deceptive and for taking action against the sponsor. Which media content is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission FCC )? Libertarianism is a political ideology that emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government. If your location is close to a radio station's transmitting antenna, then you may experience impaired reception of other stations. Digital Radio FCC Regulation of Broadcast Radio and Television. Still Fighting. D. All securities in an efficient market are zero net present value investments. Access to Emergency Information. NPR also receives some direct funding from private donors, foundations, and from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. the National Public Radio (NPR) Public broadcasting in the United States Critical details could include, among other things, specific information regarding the areas that will be affected by the emergency, evacuation orders, detailed descriptions of areas to be evacuated, specific evacuation routes, approved shelters or te way to take shelter in ones home, instructions on how to secure personal property, road closures, and how to obtain relief assistance. You can also call in, e-mail or file your complaint in hard copy with the FCCs Consumer Center in the following manner: Federal Communications Commission Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division Profane material also is protected by the First Amendment so its broadcast cannot be outlawed entirely. NPR produces its own programming (PBS, by contrast, does not create its own content, which is instead produced by select member stations and independent program distributors). Women were guaranteed the right to vote with the passage of the ______ Amendment in 1920. Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau In early 2016, KIOF-LP (97.9 FM) in Las Vegas, Nevada began airing VOA News hourly, and is the only known public radio station in the United States to broadcast the VOA news service since the SmithMundt Act restrictions were lifted. In exchange for obtaining a valuable license to operate a broadcast station using the public airwaves, each radio and television licensee is required by law to operate its station in the public interest, convenience and necessity. Generally, this means it must air programming that is responsive to the needs and problems of its local community of license. Commercial Limits An officially expressed purpose or goal backed by a sanction is a a public policy These efforts must include information and assistance sufficiently specific to enable the complaining party to eliminate all blanketing interference and not simply an attempt by the station to correct the problems. Which of the following is an example of a public broadcasting organization Public Broadcasting in the United States accounts for a much smaller share of the media market than in other Western democracies, such as France, Germany, and Denmark. Lotteries conducted by a state acting under the authority of state law, when the advertisement or information is broadcast by a radio or TV station licensed to a location in that state or in any other state that conducts such a lottery; Gambling conducted by an Indian Tribe under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; Lotteries authorized or not otherwise prohibited by the state in which they are conducted, and that are conducted by a not-for-profit organization or a governmental organization; and. It or its owners have, or have had, any interest in a broadcast application in an FCC proceeding in which character issues were resolved adversely to the applicant or were left unresolved, or were raised in connection with a pending application; Its ownership is consistent with the Communications Acts restrictions on licensees; Interests are held by foreign governments, foreign corporations, and non-U.S. citizens; There has been an adverse finding or adverse final action against it or its owners by a court or administrative body in a civil or criminal proceeding involving a felony, mass media-related antitrust or unfair competition law, the making of fraudulent statements to a governmental unit, or discrimination; There were any adjudicated violations of the Communications Act or the Commissions rules during the current license term; The licensee or its owners have been denied federal benefit due to drug law violations; Its station operation complies with the Commissions radiofrequency (RF) radio exposure standards; It has placed and maintained certain specified materials in its public inspection file in a timely manner; It has discontinued station operations for more than 12 consecutive months during the preceding license term and is currently broadcasting programming; It has adhered to its minimum operating schedule; Its advertising sales agreements discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity and whether all such agreements held by the licensee contain nondiscrimination clauses; It has filed Form 396, Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity Program Report; and. Serving under the Commissioners are a number of Offices and operating Bureaus. The "peculiar institution" was a phrase used by southerners describe What was the result of the Compromise of 1877? Additionally, the purpose of this Manual is to provide you with the basic tools necessary to ensure that the stations licensed to serve you meet their obligations and provide high quality broadcast service. A complaint can additionally be faxed to 1-866-418-0232, or mailed to: Additional information about loud commercials can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/loud-commercials-tv; and https://www.fcc.gov/media/policy/loud-commercials. The rules also provide certain exemptions from the captioning requirements. Adopt a modified version of some or all of the proposed rules; Ask for public comment on additional issues relating to the proposals; or. When filing these types of applications, the applicant is required to publish a series of notices, generally in a local newspaper, containing information similar to that noted above regarding renewal applications. Employment Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). Bernie Sanders is best described as a _________, while Rand Paul is best described as a ________. We release a document called a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in which we explain the new rules or rule changes being proposed and establish a filing deadline for the public to comment. Digital Radio. In the United States, there are three major traditional commercial broadcast television networks NBC (the National Broadcasting Company), CBS (formerly the Columbia Broadcasting System), and ABC (the American Broadcasting Company) that due to their longevity and ratings success are referred to as the "Big Three."They dominated American television until the 1990s (especially during the . Lotteries Criticism, Ridicule, and Humor Concerning Individuals, Groups, and Institutions Obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment and cannot be broadcast at any time. In light of their discretion to formulate their programming, station licensees are not required to broadcast everything that is offered or otherwise suggested to them.