NAB Legal Guide to Broadcast Law and Regulation, 6th Edition

Appendix 25 “Top 10” Supreme Court Cases in Broadcasting History—Summaries and Cases

For better or worse, broadcasting, the most heavily regulated communications medium, has been shaped substantially by key Supreme Court decisions. The early cases, like FCC v. Sanders Bros. and NBC v. US, helped define the “public interest” under the 1934 Communications Act and determine the scope of the FCC’s authority over the broadcast industry. Other cases, especially Red Lion v. FCC and FCC v. Pacifica, concluded that the First Amendment permitted the application of different—and lesser—First Amendment protections to broadcasters. Still others, such as Greater New Orleans Broadcasting, impacted the ability of broadcast outlets to advertise freely—a vital ...