Lecture 10: FCC Organization, Power and Structure

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Lecture 10FCC Organization,Power and Structure

• COM 451
• Communication and Law

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I. FCC Background

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an
  independent United States government agency
• Established by The Communications Act of 1934
• Is directly responsible to Congress
• In charge of regulating communications by radio,
  television, wire, satellite and cable
• Jurisdiction covers the 50 States and
  territories.

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II. FCC Organization

• The Chairman delegates management and
  administrative responsibility to the Managing
  Director. The Commissioners supervise all FCC
  activities, delegating responsibilities to staff
  units and Bureaus.
• The FCCs staff is organized by function.
• 6 operating Bureaus and 11 Staff Offices
• Bureaus process applications for licenses and
  other filings, analyze complaints, conduct
  investigations, develop and implement regulatory
  programs, and participate in hearings, etc.
• The Offices provide support services.
• Bureaus and Offices regularly join forces and
  share expertise in addressing FCC issues.

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II. FCC Commissioners

• Five commissioners, appointed by the President
  and confirmed by the Senate
• Serve staggered 5-year terms (except when filling
  an unexpired term).
• The President designates one of the Commissioners
  to serve as Chairperson.
• Only three Commissioners may be members of the
  same political party.
• None of them can have a financial interest in any
  Commission-related business.

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II. FCC Commissioners
Michael Powell (1997-2002)
Kathleen Q. Abernathy (2001-2004)
Michael J. Copps (2001-2005)
Kevin J. Martin (2001-2006)
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III. Power of the FCC

• Allocate bands and frequencies of the spectrum to
  specific broadcast services
• Assign individual frequencies
• Decide times of operation
• Establish areas to be served by stations
• Regulate equipment and technology
• Prevent interference
• Levy fines upon and/or suspend licenses of any
  station which breaks state or federal rules or
  statutes or broadcasts obscene communications
• Make rules and regulations
• Require licensees to keep records
• Regulate cable
• Regulate common carriers (telephone service)

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IV. FCC Bureaus

• The Consumer Governmental Affairs Bureau
• FCC's primary link to telecommunications
  consumers addresses all types of
  consumer-related matters from answering questions
  and responding to consumer complaints to
  distributing consumer education materials.
• The Enforcement Bureau
• Enforces FCC rules, orders and authorizations.
• The International Bureau
• Administers the FCC's international
  telecommunications policies and obligations and
  enhances the competitiveness of U.S. industry
  domestically and abroad.

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IV. FCC Bureaus (cont)

• The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
• Handles all FCC domestic wireless
  telecommunications programs and policies, except
  those involving satellite communications
  broadcasting, including licensing, enforcement,
  and regulatory functions.
• The Wireline Competition Bureau
• Responsible for administering the FCC's policies
  concerning telephone companies that provide long
  distance and local service to consumers.
• The Media Bureau
• Develops, recommends and administers the policy
  and licensing programs relating to electronic
  media, including cable television, broadcast
  television and radio in the United States and its
  territories.

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V. FCC Offices

• The Office of Administrative Law Judges
• Composed of judges who preside over hearings and
  issue initial decisions
• The Office of Communication Business
  Opportunities
• Promotes telecommunications business
  opportunities for small, minority and
  female-owned communication businesses.
• The Office of Engineering and Technology
• Advises the FCC on engineering matters
• The Office of the General Counsel
• FCCs chief legal advisor
• The Office of the Inspector General
• Conducts and supervises audits and investigations
  relating to FCC programs and operations

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V. FCC Offices (cont)

• The Office of Legislative Affairs
• Acts as liaison between the FCC and Congress,
  other federal agencies, and state and local
  governments
• The Office of the Managing Director
• Responsible for activities involving the
  administration and management of the Federal
  Communications Commission
• The Office of Media Relations
• Interacts with members of the news media
• The Office of Plans and Policy
• Assists, advises, and makes recommendations to
  the FCC with respect to the development and
  implementation of communications policies in all
  areas of FCC authority and responsibility,
  particularly those that cross traditional
  industry and institutional boundaries

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V. FCC Offices (cont)

• The Office of the Secretary
• Facilitates the FCCs decision-making process by
  maintaining materials for the Commission's open,
  circulate and closed meetings giving effective
  legal notice of Commission decisions through
  publications in the Federal Register and FCC
  Record processing all docketed and non-docketed
  filings that FCC receives in paper, electronic,
  and alternative media formats making
  recommendations to streamline the FCC's workflow
  through the use of electronic information
  management systems and administering the FCC
  Librarys collection of the FCCs records.
• The Office of Workplace Diversity
• Promotes and ensures that the FCC provides
  employment opportunity for all persons regardless
  of race, color, sex, national origin, religion,
  age. disability or sexual preference.

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Junk faxes spur record 5.4 million fine

• August 7, 2002 Posted 440 PM EDT (2040 GMT)
• WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Communications
  Commission issued a record fine of nearly 5.4
  million Wednesday against a company for sending
  "junk faxes" to businesses and consumers.
• http//www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/industry/08/07/junkfa
  xes.fine.ap/index.html