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Petition 2943- Urban Myth!I have received some communications concerning a petition filed with the FCC that would eliminated religious broadcasting in the United States. I emailed the Fcc and asked the following questions." I've searched the FCC website and had no success on this question. Is there a petition #2943 before the commission which would ban or limit religious broadcasting on the public airways of the USA.?"Here is the email reply I received from the FCC regarding petition 2943. ----- Original Message -----From: "FCCINFO" To: donspooner@about-him.com Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 5:34 AM Subject: Re: Petition # 2943 A rumor has been circulating since 1975 that Madalyn Murray O'Hair, awidely known, self-proclaimed atheist, proposed that the FederalCommunications Commission (FCC) consider limiting or banning religiousprogramming. This rumor is not true. It also has been circulated repeatedlythat Ms. O'Hair was granted an FCC hearing to discuss that proposal. Thistoo is untrue. There is no federal law or regulation that gives the FCC the authority toprohibit radio and television stations from presenting religious programs. Actually, the Communications Act (the law that established the FCC anddefines its authority) prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcast materialand interfering with freedom of speech in broadcasting. The FCC cannot direct any broadcaster to present, or refrain frompresenting, announcements or programs on religion, and the FCC cannot act asan arbitrator on the insights or accuracy of such material.> Broadcasters, not the FCC, nor any other governmental agency, have theresponsibility for selecting the programming that is aired by theirstations. A petition filed in December 1974 by Jeremy D. Lansman and Lorenzo W.Milam which was routinely assigned the number RM-2493 added further confusion regarding the issue of religious programming. They had asked, among otherthings, that the FCC inquire into operating practices of stations licensedto religious organizations. The petitioners had also asked that no new licenses be granted for any newnoncommercial educational broadcasting station, until the requested inquiry had been completed. The "Lansman-Milam petition" was DENIED by the FCC onAugust 1, 1975. The Commission explained then that it is required by the First Amendment "to observe a stance of neutrality toward religion, actingneither to promote nor to inhibit religion." It also explained that it musttreat religious and secular organizations alike in determining their eligibility for broadcasting channels. Periodically since 1975, the FCC has received mail indicating that, inmany parts of the country, there were rumors claiming the petitions ofRM-2493 had called for an end to religious programs on radio and television. Suchadditional mail and telephone calls came in from people who thought that Ms. O'Hair was a sponsor of RM-2493. This rumor is also false. Since 1975 to the present time, the FCC has received and responded tomillions of inquiries about these rumors. Many efforts have been made by theFCC to advise the public of their falsehood. The laws and the FCC's policies on the broadcast of religious programming have appeared innumerous publications (including newspapers, religious publications, TVGuide and Time Magazine) and have been discussed in religious groupmeetings. The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh.It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Home About Us About His Word Bible Studies Humor Songs of the Church Thoughts on the Life of Christ Weekly Devotions Audio Devotionals Topical Studies Contact  |