Disinformation in Broadcasting and the Public Interest Standard
Event Video
The Communications Act of 1934 requires that licensees operate consistent with the “public interest convenience and necessity.” Broadcast licenses, held by broadcast TV and radio stations as trustees of the public’s airwaves, must use the broadcast medium to serve the public interest and their local communities. In recent years, concerns have been raised about how broadcasters are fulfilling these obligations, particularly regarding the nature of their news programming. Complaints have been filed at the FCC against all of the major broadcast networks raising concerns about the quality and reliability of their coverage. Our panel will examine these issues, the role of government in policing broadcasters and the First Amendment protections afforded to broadcasters’ speech.
Featuring:
- Bob Corn-Revere, Chief Counsel, FIRE
- David Gibber, Executive Vice President/Chief Legal Officer, Sinclair Broadcast Group
- Daniel Suhr, President, Center for American Rights
- Moderator: Patricia J. Paoletta, Partner, HWG LLP
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As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.