Brendan Satran Red Lion Broadcasting v FCC PDF

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Case Brief of Red Lion Broadcasting v FCC...

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Brendan Satran 10/31/16 Case Brief 8 Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. v. FCC 395 U.S. 367 (1969) In the case of Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. v. FCC the Warren court ruled in a majority decision in favor of the FCC on June 9, 1969. The parties involved were the Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. and the Federal Communications Commission. The Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. argued that the FCC’s fairness doctrine that protected personal attacks in a context of public issue debates and political editorializing was infringing on the first amendment. Red Lion Broadcasting challenged the doctrine because a specific broadcast had been censored. The court had to decide whether or not the doctrine infringed on protected speech and rights guaranteed by the first amendment. The warren court decided the FCC’s fairness doctrine was constitutional by a majority opinion. The court’s reasoning behind the decision was that the fairness doctrine actually enhanced protection of free speech by regulating public debates on public issues to the issues itself. This allowed the public to become rightfully informed on such issues rather than have their understanding be skewed by personal attacks and political editorializing. This decision helped solidify an open and honest discussion on public issues being broadcast over the airwaves, thus protecting the rights guaranteed under the first amendment. Source: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1968/2...