ABSTRACT
In the United States, broadcast television is subject to standards promulgated by different regulatory camps, which in turn abide by their respective missions, processes, and governance. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as government regulator does not produce content and technically cannot censor content, but it informs the production of content by erecting a legal schema of acceptability. Since 1934 the FCC has granted, renewed, or denied broadcasting licenses based partially on the relationship between broadcast programs and the public interest. Further, the FCC responds to complaints from viewers about those same programs. Television networks do not have licenses, so local broadcasters bear the burden of proving that their content (frequently supplied by the networks) meets FCC standards. Networks rely on local stations—affiliates—to air their programs and national advertisements, so the responsibilities of the all-important license, although shouldered by the station, necessarily extend to program producers and distributors.
