NEWS FROM
North Central Florida's Congressman
CLIFF STEARNS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2000CONTACT: PAUL FLUSCHE
(202) 225-5744
STEARNS TAKES ON FCC OVER ATTACK ON RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING
JOINS OTHER MEMBERS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE IN OPPOSITION TO RECENT ORDER
WASHINGTON, JAN. 6, 2000 -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued an order that could force more than 125 non-commercial TV broadcasters to drop religious programming. According to Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), as a result of this FCC decision, "non-commercial TV stations may be prohibited from broadcasting church services, religious discussions, and professions of religious faith. This is an assault on religious broadcasters and the communities these broadcasters serve. In addition, this decision sets a dangerous precedent for regulating the content of non-commercial programming."
In response, Stearns joined Rep. Mike Oxley and Rep. Steve Largent, also members of the Telecommunications Subcommittee, in writing FCC Chairman Kennard expressing their opposition to the ruling and their intent to overturn it. In the letter they stated that: "The Commission has no business -- no business whatsoever -- singling out religious programming for special scrutiny. The policy you have instituted amounts to an unconstitutional restriction on religious speech. The type and content regulation and suppression of religious expression is utterly unacceptable."
The new order issued December 29, 1999, requires non-commercial broadcasters operating with educational licenses to devote at least one-half of their programming hours to educational topics. The ruling further noted that "religious exhortation, proselytizing, or statements of personally-held religious views and beliefs generally would not qualify as 'general educational' programming...."
Go to Cliff Stearn's Home page ###