Free Speech, Telecommunications and Cyberspace

Professor Jack M. Balkin

Assignment Sheet - Part One: Broadcasting and Cable Television

Note: All references to page numbers refer to Thomas G. Krattenmaker, Telecommunications Law and Policy (1994). References to the 1996 Supplement are noted as "1996 Supp." References to the Supplemental Materials contained in this packet are noted as "Supp."

1. Introduction: Spectrum Allocation Policies

  1. Chapter One: The Broadcast Industry and its Regulators, pp. 3-28 (read as background)

  2. Chapter Two: Spectrum Allocation, pp. 29-75
  3. 1996 Supp., pp. 2-18

2. The Licensing Process

  1. Chapter Three: Criteria for Evaluating Broadcast Industry Performance, pp. 77-84

  2. Chapter Four: Licensing Broadcasters, pp. 85-138
  3. 1996 Supp., pp. 19-20

3. The Fairness Doctrine and Political Broadcasts

  1. Introduction, pp. 139-140

  2. Tornillo v. Miami Herald, pp. 141-42
  3. Red Lion v. FCC and Notes, pp. 142-49
  4. 1985 Report on the Fairness Doctrine and Notes, pp. 149-164
  5. CBS v. Democratic National Committee, Supp., pp. 1-6

4. Political Broadcasting

  1. CBS v. FCC, Supp., pp. 7-33

  2. In re Codificiation, of the Commission's Political Programming Policies, 7 F.C.C.R. 678 (Dec. 23, 1991), Supp., pp. 34-59
  3. In re Codification of the Commission's Political Programming Policies, 7 F.C.C.R. 4611 (June 11, 1992), Supp., pp. 60-80
  4. In re Codification of the Commission's Political Programming Policies, 9 F.C.C.R. 651 (January 27, 1994), Supp., pp. 81-82
  5. In re: Request for Declaratory Ruling of National Association of Broadcasters, 9 F.C.C.R. 5778 (October 3, 1994), Supp., pp. 83-85

5. Equal Time and Equal Opportunities

  1. King Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, Supp., pp. 86-92

  2. Telecommunications Research and Action Center (TRAC) v. FCC, Supp., pp. 93-101
  3. Fulani v. FCC, Supp., pp. 102-112
  4. In re Requests of Fox Broadcasting Co., Public Broadcasting Service, and Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., for Declaratory Rulings (August 19, 1996), Supp., pp. 113-124
  5. In re Complaint of Ross Perot against ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Broadcasting Co. (October 3, 1996), Supp., pp. 125-136
  6. In Letter of Ms. Loretta Smith, Supp., pp. 137-138
  7. In re Personal Attack Complaint of Bree Walker Lampley, et. al., Supp., pp. 139-142
  8. 47 CFR §§ 73.1920-41 (1997), Supp., pp. 143-146

6. Indecency

  1. FCC v. Pacifica Foundation and Notes, pp. 164-171

  2. In re Pacifica Foundation and Notes, pp. 171-176
  3. Sable Communications v. FCC and Notes, pp. 587-596
  4. ACT III (panel opinion) and Notes, pp. 176-188
  5. ACT III (en banc opinion) and Notes, 1996 Supp., pp. 21-42

7. The V-Chip and Children's Television

  1. 1996 Act, 1996 Supp., pp. A43-A46.

  2. 1996 Supp, p. 42
  3. Calvin and Hobbes, pp. 215
  4. Krattenmaker and Powe, Regulating Broadcast Programming, ch 5, Supp., pp. 147-166
  5. Balkin, Media Filters, the V-Chip, and the Foundations of Broadcast Regulation, Supp., pp. 167-190
  6. Meese v. Keene, Supp., pp. 191-193
  7. TV Parental Guidelines, Supp., pp. 194-200
  8. In re Children's Television Programming and Advertising Practices and Notes, pp. 188-197
  9. Policies and Rules Concerning Children's Television Programming and Notes, pp. 198-202
  10. Semantic Battle over Children's TV, Supp., pp. 201-202
  11. In re Policies and Rules Concerning Children's Television Programming Revision of Programming Policies for Television Broadcast Stations, Supp., pp. 203-275

8. Format Regulation and Television Deregulation

  1. Cases and Notes on Format Regulation, pp. 202-214

  2. Cases and Notes on Television Deregulation, pp. 216-225

9. Fostering Broadcast Competition

  1. Chapter Six: Regulating Broadcasting, pp. 227-279

  2. Chapter Seven: Overview Case Study-- High Definition Television, pp. 281-293
  3. 1996 Supp., pp. 43-45

10. Cable Television

  1. Chapter Eight: Early Regulatory Responses to Cable, pp. 297-334 (background)

  2. Chapter Nine: Regulation of Cable, 1980-92, pp. 321-334 (background)
  3. Chapter Ten: Broadcast-Cable Relationships, pp. 335-354
  4. Turner Broadcasting v. FCC and Notes, pp. 354-376
  5. 1996 Supp., p. 46

11. Regulation of Indecency on Cable

  1. Chapter Eleven: Compelled Access, pp. 377-382

  2. Cruz v. Ferre and Notes, pp. 383-386
  3. Denver Area Educational Telecommunications Consortium v. FCC, 1996 Supp., pp. 47-71

12. Competition in the Cable Industry

  1. Chapter Thirteen, Franchising, pp. 397-408

  2. Chapter Fourteen, Fostering Competition in Cable, pp. 409-460
  3. 1996 Supp., p. 71