Federal Radio Commission

E96747

The Federal Radio Commission was a U.S. government agency created in 1927 to regulate radio broadcasting and allocate frequencies before its responsibilities were absorbed by the Federal Communications Commission.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf broadcasting regulator
defunct federal agency of the United States
appliesToJurisdiction United States
appointedBy President of the United States
composition five commissioners appointed by the President of the United States
confirmedBy United States Senate
country United States
createdByStatute Radio Act of 1927
dissolutionReason consolidation of radio, telephone, and telegraph regulation into the FCC
reorganization of federal communications regulation
dissolved 1934
field broadcasting regulation
radio regulation
telecommunications policy
followedBy Federal Communications Commission
governingBody five-member commission
headquartersLocation Washington, D.C.
historicalRole first independent federal agency devoted solely to radio regulation in the United States
inception 1927
industry mass media
telecommunications
jurisdiction United States federal government
legalBasis Radio Act of 1927
locatedInTheAdministrativeTerritorialEntity District of Columbia
mainResponsibility allocation of radio frequencies
assignment of call letters to radio stations
enforcement of technical standards for radio broadcasting
licensing of radio stations
reduction of radio interference
regulation of radio broadcasting in the United States
regulation of radio station power and operating hours
mottoOrPrinciple public interest, convenience, and necessity
notableAction classified radio stations into clear, regional, and local channels
established standards for public interest, convenience, and necessity in licensing
reallocated broadcast frequencies under General Order 40
numberOfMembers 5
parentOrganization United States federal government NERFINISHED
partOf executive branch of the United States government
regulates commercial radio stations
noncommercial radio stations
radio broadcasting
reorganizedInto Federal Communications Commission
replacedBy Federal Communications Commission
replaces radio regulatory functions of the Department of Commerce
significance laid the regulatory foundation for modern U.S. broadcasting policy
significantEvent implemented General Order 40 in 1928
reorganized the U.S. radio spectrum in the late 1920s
timePeriod interwar period

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Communications Act of 1934
Federal Communications Commission
replaced

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