NRB DECLARES VICTORY IN FCC REVERSAL

 

For immediate release

January 28, 2000

 

Manassas, VA – In response to enormous pressure by broadcasters, citizens and members of Congress, today the FCC, by a 4 –1 vote, reversed an unconstitutional decision restricting religious expression on noncommercial educational TV stations.

 

NRB president Brandt Gustavson said, “This is a total victory! Since National Religious Broadcasters was formed in 1944, our primary objective has been to maintain access to the airwaves for the gospel message. We will continue to be vigilant and maintain the freedoms accorded to us by the Constitution, because there will always be forces attempting to strip them away. We have filed a formal petition today asking the FCC to, in addition to reversing the unconstitutional restrictions on religious speech in the Cornerstone decision, also clarify that the underlying policy is null and void -- and will not be resurrected quietly in the future by the Commission or its staff.”

 

Gustavson continued, “Today’s decision is a beautiful demonstration of democracy in action. We are grateful for the NRB members who spread the news and motivated citizens to call their Representatives, Senators and the Commissioners expressing their outrage over this unconstitutional decision.  Congressmen Oxley, Largent, Pickering and Stearns led the fight early on, and we appreciate their quick response.”

 

The original decision emerged in granting the application of WQED, Cornerstone TeleVision, and Pax-TV to move Cornerstone (WPCB) to channel 16, a channel reserved for noncommercial educational programming. Although the FCC granted the application, it also provided so-called “additional guidance”, creating new policies which singled out religious programming. The additional guidance stated that programs including “religious exhortation, proselytizing, statements of personally held religious views or beliefs” would not qualify as educational. Cornerstone TeleVision has withdrawn from the agreement with Pax-TV and WQED citing the restrictions as too severe. Today’s reversal only withdraws the section on additional guidance and leaves the grant intact. However, a Cornerstone spokesman says they will not re-enter the agreement.

 

National Religious Broadcasters is an association of Christian communicators representing 1,200 members. NRB will hold its Annual Convention and Exposition February 5 – 8 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

 

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