FCC says Religious Broadcast Rumor denied

Pastor Joel Osteen (photo)
one of many rumored to be taken off the air

An email is cirulating that is spreading panic among Christians who are led to believe that the FCC is currently considering a ruling to take religious broadcasting off the air waves due to a supposed petition of thousands of Americans who would ban religious activities on the airwaves to include the banning of Christmas Programs and caroling. NOT True!


Religious Broadcast Rumor Denied
FCCConsumer FactsBackground
(taken from the home page of the FCC)

A rumor has been circulating since 1975 that the late Madalyn Murray O'Hair, a widely known, self-proclaimed atheist, proposed that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) consider limiting or banning religious programming.These rumors are untrue.

In December 1974, Jeremy D. Lansman and Lorenzo W. Milam filed a petition (RM-2493) asking the FCC to inquire into the operating practices of stations licensed to religious organizations, and not to grant any new licenses for new noncommercial educational broadcast stations until the inquiry had been completed.

The FCC denied this petition on August 1, 1975. Ms. O'Hair was not a sponsor of this petition.Since that time, the FCC has received mail and telephone calls claiming that Ms. O'Hair started the petition and that the petition asked for an end to religious programs on radio and television. Such rumors are false.

The FCC has responded to numerous inquiries about these rumors and advised the public of their falsehood. There is no federal law that gives the FCC the authority to prohibit radio and television stations from broadcasting religious programs.

For general information on other telecommunication-related issues, you may contact the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau by e-mail at fccinfo@fcc.gov, or at the address below. You may also call the FCC's Consumer Center at 1-888-call-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-Tell FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY.