Ironically, President Clinton proclaimed Religious Freedom Day last month in the very week his FCC issued new regulations which could seriously affect religious TV broadcasters. Last month, without consulting Congress, it announced that non-commercial TV broadcasters have to re-configure their programming so that at least 50 percent of all air time is devoted to "educational" or "cultural" programs.
The FCC ruled that "programming primarily devoted to religious education, proselytizing or statements of personally held religious views and beliefs would not qualify as educational or cultural programming." Church services, vital to homebound elderly and handicapped, are also ruled taboo. The FCC's rules are said to be "horrendous" and possibly unconstitutional.
The NRB is asking Congress to reverse them, saying they single out religious broadcasting for new standards.
Quite unbelievably, the FCC has recently begun considering a critical and dangerous matter, which could result in the removal of all religious broadcasting from the nation's TV and radio stations. The FCC has determined - in a Pittsburgh case involving a television swap arrangement - that broadcasters must devote 50 percent of regularly-scheduled air time to educational programs. This is a plan that would severely stifle religious expression on television.
"The commission's guidance is designed to force religious broadcasters seeking to hold a noncommercial license to cut back on traditional religious programming ... and replace it with FCC-approved educational content," wrote Reps. Michael Oxey, R-Ohio, Steve Largent, R-Okla., Chip Pickering, R-Miss., and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla. "I know the Congress will try to put a good face on this action," said Oxley, "but the simple truth is the commission is restricting those who express faith."
Forty-one million Americans tune in to religious programming on radio, TV, or cable at least once a week. There are approximately 2,000 radio and TV stations in this country which devote a substantial portion of their program days to religious programming. Religious music and commentary comprise the third-most popular radio format. This should tell us something - literally tens of millions of Americans find the messages delivered by religious broadcasters to be a valuable and comforting alternative to programming chosen by the commercial marketplace. Religious broadcasters are able to reach the elderly and other shut-ins who can't easily attend church services. Millions of other persons access religious programming on radio and TV as part of their weekly religious observance.
The FCC's determination in the Pittsburgh case that religious programming is not sufficiently "educational" or "cultural" to count in the determination of a group's eligibility for a noncommercial television license is counterproductive in terms of furthering these values. (Excerpts from 2000 WorldNetDaily.com)
Religion Today, January 21, 2000 - Radio listeners are likely to hear more religious and educational programming in the future. The Federal Communications Commission has voted to allow hundreds of small broadcasters to run inexpensive, low-power FM stations. The FCC adopted new licensing rules Jan. 20 that permit the addition of the noncommercial stations with broadcasting ranges as much as seven miles. That could transform the airwaves, adding many new voices, government officials said. Small communities and churches have complained that their issues are shut out by large, commercial conglomerate stations.
In addition to churches, groups planning to set up low-power stations include schools that cannot afford full-power stations, alternative musicians, and highway departments that want to warn commuters about traffic problems. The nation's largest broadcasters, including the National Religious Broadcasters, object. They say the so-called micro-radio stations could create static or distorted signals for established stations.
Cornerstone TeleVision is refusing to accept a license granted by the Federal Communications Commission because new guidelines would have restricted the amount of religious programming it could air, Conservative News Service said. The Christian television broadcaster applied for the license as part of a business deal with public station WQED in Pittsburgh.The guidelines "jeopardize our ability to carry out our mission," the ministry said. While the financial benefits of the deal would have been good, "there is no benefit that would justify the sacrifice of religious freedom required by the new FCC standards," Cornerstone President Oleen Eagle said.
The guidelines require noncommercial educational TV channels to devote half of their air time to educational material,excluding preaching and most church services, news reports said. The National Religious Broadcasters and members of Congress have criticized the guidelines, which could affect as many as 90 religious stations, NRB said.
The FCC has had religious broadcasters "in their sights for at least a year," a high ranking source at the commission said, according to CNS. Some commissioners have been discussing ways to restrict the stations on the grounds of separation of church and state, the source said. "They've been looking for a test case, and they found one." (http://www.religiontoday.com)