The FCC and the First Principle of the Fairness Doctrine: A History of Neglect and Distortion
![handle is hein.journals/fedcom31 and id is 369 raw text is: ARTICLE
The FCC and the First Principle of
the Fairness Doctrine: A History
of Neglect and Distortion
Bill F. Chamberlin*
INTRODUCTION
The Federal Communications Commission has explained
that the Fairness Doctrine requires broadcast licensees to (1)
devote a reasonable percentage of air time to the coverage of
public issues and (2) be fair in the coverage by providing an
opportunity for the presentation of contrasting viewpoints.'
* Assistant Professor in the School of Journalism at the University of North
Carolina. Research for this Article was funded in part by a grant from the Univer-
sity Research Council, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
1. The most important FCC documents related to the discussion of the Fair-
ness Doctrine in this Article will be cited as follows: In re Editorializing By Broad-
cast Licensees, Report of the Commission, 13 F.C.C. 1246, 25 R.R. 1901 (1949)
[hereinafter cited as Report on Editorializing]; Report and Statement of Policy Re:
Commission en banc Programming Inquiry, 44 F.C.C. 2303, 20 R.R. 1901 (1960)
[hereinafter cited as 1960 Programming Statement]; Applicability of the Fairness
Doctrine in the Handling of Controversial Issues of Public Importance, 40 F.C.C.
598, 2 R.R.2d 1901 (1964) [hereinafter cited as Fairness Primer]; In re The Handling
of Public Issues Under the Fairness Doctrine and the Public Interest Standards of
the Communications Act, Notice of Inquiry, 30 F.C.C.2d 26 (1971) [hereinafter
cited as Docket No. 19260], Order, 33 F.C.C.2d 800 (1972) [hereinafter cited as Fair-
ness Order], First Report, 36 F.C.C.2d 40, 24 R.R.2d 1917 (1972) [hereinafter cited
as First Fairness Report], Fairness Report, 48 F.C.C.2d 1, 30 R.R.2d 1261 (1974)
[hereinafter cited as Fairness Report], Memorandum Opinion and Order on Recon-
sideration of the Fairness Report, 58 F.C.C.2d 691, 36 R.R.2d 1021 (1976) [hereinaf-
ter cited as Fairness Report Reconsideration], Notice of Inquiry, 67 F.C.C.2d 730
(1978) [hereinafter cited as Second Notice of Inquiry]. See also First Amendment
Clarification Act of 1977: Hearings on S.22 before the Subcomm. on Communica-](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/fedcom31&div=23&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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The FCC and the First Principle of the Fairness Doctrine: A History of Neglect and Distortion
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