Institutional attempts to ensure “broadcast localism” in terms of behavioral regulations in licensing broadcasting stations under the laws of the United States

Abstract

In the United States, localism in broadcasting has long been an important part of the broadcasting policy agenda, and a variety of measures have been implemented to ensure that localism is maintained while minimizing regulations on programming in order to ensure freedom of speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Among them, requirements imposed by the FCC on certain acts of broadcasting stations in granting licenses are particularly remarkable especially after the creation of low-power FM radio station licenses in 2000. While these requirements encompass various types of norms, those on information disclosure by broadcasters with regards to the treatment of local needs and interests in programming through “public inspection files” have been an integral part of this policy in recent years, so that communities can measure the amount and types of local programming. This information disclosure is supposed to be implemented by posting the public inspection files to the FCC’s online database. The requirement has recently been intensified with wider applications not only to broadcasters but also to relevant entities such as cable operators and satellite TV providers.