MC 401 – Test 3 – Bragg – 2026 – Study Guide and
Practice Questions
Wireless Ship Act of 1910 - correct answer ✔✔ -Ships must have wireless equipment and radio
operators on board.
-illegal not to answer or retransmit wireless messages from ships.
-THIS IS THE FIRST AMERICAN LAW REGULATING DEVICES
Radio act of 1927 - correct answer ✔✔ -Established the federal radio commission (FRC) to act in
the "public interest, connivence, or necessity" FCC standard only.
communications act of 1934 - correct answer ✔✔ Established the federal communications
commission (FCC)
-The FCC has power over "radio and wire communication services"
Print vs. Broadcast - correct answer ✔✔ -The court established differences between 1st
amendment rights of newspaper publishers and broadcasters
-citizens cannot demand space in news papers or magazines
-court held that political candidates must be given the opportunity for "reasonable access" to
broadcast channels.
Miami Herald Publishing co. v Tornillo (1974) - correct answer ✔✔ Miami Herald Published a
criticism of Pat Tornillo , a state legislature candidate
Tornillo demanded the right to reply in the newspaper. Miami Herald won bc ppl don't have the
right to demand space
, -Did a Florida statute that gave a "right to reply" when newspapers published personal attacks
on political candidates violate the 1st amendment?
YES. 1st amendment violation. Court said ruling in favor of Tornillo would negatively affect
speech, chilling effect (9-0)
Broadcast Regulation Rationalness - correct answer ✔✔ -Spectrum scarcity a physical limitation,
unlike the economic limitation of news paper
-public trusteeship broadcasters are to act in the public interest
-persuasiveness: radio and tv are ubiquitous- they are omnipresent
-special impact: broadcast has a greater impact- particularly on children
The fairness doctrine (1949) - correct answer ✔✔ The FCC stated that broadcasters must:
1) devote a reasonable percentage of their airtime to public issues discussion
2)present contrasting views on contriversial issues that are of public importance
Red Lion Broadcasting V. Federal Communications Commission (1969) - correct answer ✔✔
Case: WGCB-AM in Red Lion, penn. broadcast a reverend discussing Cooks book: Goldwater
extremist on the right, basically slandering the book. Cook asked to defend himself on air and
WGCB denied him this so he sued and got FCC to file against broadcasting company
-Question: Is Fairness Doctrine and personal attack rule constitutional under 1st amendment?
-Holding: YES, broadcast frequencies are a scarce resource and a broadcast license is not
available to all
*Fairness Doctrine later abandoned(1987) due to more avenues of media
Practice Questions
Wireless Ship Act of 1910 - correct answer ✔✔ -Ships must have wireless equipment and radio
operators on board.
-illegal not to answer or retransmit wireless messages from ships.
-THIS IS THE FIRST AMERICAN LAW REGULATING DEVICES
Radio act of 1927 - correct answer ✔✔ -Established the federal radio commission (FRC) to act in
the "public interest, connivence, or necessity" FCC standard only.
communications act of 1934 - correct answer ✔✔ Established the federal communications
commission (FCC)
-The FCC has power over "radio and wire communication services"
Print vs. Broadcast - correct answer ✔✔ -The court established differences between 1st
amendment rights of newspaper publishers and broadcasters
-citizens cannot demand space in news papers or magazines
-court held that political candidates must be given the opportunity for "reasonable access" to
broadcast channels.
Miami Herald Publishing co. v Tornillo (1974) - correct answer ✔✔ Miami Herald Published a
criticism of Pat Tornillo , a state legislature candidate
Tornillo demanded the right to reply in the newspaper. Miami Herald won bc ppl don't have the
right to demand space
, -Did a Florida statute that gave a "right to reply" when newspapers published personal attacks
on political candidates violate the 1st amendment?
YES. 1st amendment violation. Court said ruling in favor of Tornillo would negatively affect
speech, chilling effect (9-0)
Broadcast Regulation Rationalness - correct answer ✔✔ -Spectrum scarcity a physical limitation,
unlike the economic limitation of news paper
-public trusteeship broadcasters are to act in the public interest
-persuasiveness: radio and tv are ubiquitous- they are omnipresent
-special impact: broadcast has a greater impact- particularly on children
The fairness doctrine (1949) - correct answer ✔✔ The FCC stated that broadcasters must:
1) devote a reasonable percentage of their airtime to public issues discussion
2)present contrasting views on contriversial issues that are of public importance
Red Lion Broadcasting V. Federal Communications Commission (1969) - correct answer ✔✔
Case: WGCB-AM in Red Lion, penn. broadcast a reverend discussing Cooks book: Goldwater
extremist on the right, basically slandering the book. Cook asked to defend himself on air and
WGCB denied him this so he sued and got FCC to file against broadcasting company
-Question: Is Fairness Doctrine and personal attack rule constitutional under 1st amendment?
-Holding: YES, broadcast frequencies are a scarce resource and a broadcast license is not
available to all
*Fairness Doctrine later abandoned(1987) due to more avenues of media
