Killing ‘Gnats with a Sledgehammer’? Case Study: Fairness Doctrine and a Broadcast License Denial

Abstract

Each year since the FCC rescinded the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, efforts have been made in Congress to restore it. This indepth look at the denial of a license to Washington state religious station KAYE, which broadcast very strong conservative views, attempts to balance the public interest in diversity with concerns about fairness. This study demonstrates how citizen “watchdog” groups used the Fairness Doctrine to rid the airwaves of a broadcaster and highlights inherent conflicts in First Amendment theory.