When I was on the radio in the 60s and 70s, the Federal Communications Commission was a major presence in our lives. Back then, FCC inspectors might come into the area unexpectedly, usually to make sure a station's tower lights were working properly, but for other reasons too. If memory serves, inspectors could also come in and examine a station's public file, and they could get in touch to investigate listener complaints. During my time in college radio, we often used euphemisms when referring to the FCC-- the two I recall were the Friendly Candy Company and Fat Cousin Charlie, but there may have been others. And we were supposed to display our licenses on a wall, in a visible place, because back then, even the deejays had to have at least a 3rd class FCC license. We jokingly called the studio location where all our licenses were displayed the Ben F. Waple Memorial Wall, named for the (very much alive) Secretary of the FCC, whose signature was on our licenses.
As deejays, we worried about playing songs that had bad words in them-- in album rock, that was a growing concern. Record companies often provided us with the "clean" version of the hit single, but if it was an album track, it might contain one of the words that weren't supposed to be played on the air. We had to be cautious-- we knew the FCC was a conservative agency and it didn't especially like album rock music. We never wanted to play something that could put our license in jeopardy.
On the other hand, I don't recall the FCC ever getting involved with our newscasts. Of course, back then, we lived under the Fairness Doctrine, so the typical newscast tended to stick to the facts, usually read in a very serious manner. Opinions were only expressed in an editorial, and that was usually read by the station's general manager. Radio stations did have talk shows back then, and contrary to myth, there were both liberal and conservative hosts on the air. But everyone was aware of what the Fairness Doctrine required, and we all made an effort to avoid violating the rules.
And yet, despite living in conservative times, those of us on FM were still able to broadcast news stories about anti-war demonstrations, or play lots of anti-war songs. (A few of those songs even became top-40 hits.) And while President Johnson (a Democrat) and President Nixon (a Republican) were undoubtedly annoyed by the anti-war movement and not happy that the mainstream media were covering it, the FCC did not tell us to stop. We continued to play the songs we wanted to play, and we broadcast the news stories that we thought our listeners ought to hear.
Fast forward to today, in a time when the six giant conglomerates that control most of the media are about to be reduced to five. Several days ago, the chairman of the FCC issued a warning to the press that if they did not begin providing the kind of favorable coverage of the Iran war that the president demanded, licenses could be in jeopardy. First Amendment advocates were horrified: there is nothing in the constitution that says "the president defines freedom of the press and he can restrict it at any time." No, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech, are not decided by the government, which is the entire point the Founding Fathers were making when the Bill of Rights was written. And yet, reporters are being told on a regular basis what they should cover and how they should cover it.
Fortunately, most reporters are resisting, no matter how many rude names they are called. And most news outlets are still covering the news the way it ought to be covered: fairly and accurately. A few outlets have bent the knee, or tried to avoid getting the president angry-- which has proved to be a difficult task. But for the most part, the news is still being covered, with a focus on the facts. And now, that has earned reporters a stern rebuke from the chairman of the FCC, a loyal ally of the president. I'm sure when I was on the air, the FCC chair was an ally of the president too. But back then, the FCC evidently did not see itself as an arm of the White House. Nor should it ever be. For our democracy to flourish, even in difficult times, reporters need to be free to do their jobs. The audience needs to be kept informed. And the FCC needs to go back to whatever it is that the FCC does in this era of deregulation-- which should never involve meddling with the First Amendment, no matter what the president says.
