FCC v. Pacifica Foundation

FCC v. Pacifica Foundation (1978) is a landmark Supreme Court case that addressed government regulation of broadcast content. The case involved a radio station playing a comedy monologue with profanity, which a listener complained about. The FCC sanctioned the station, citing concerns about appropriateness for public airwaves. The Court upheld the FCC’s authority to regulate indecent content during times when children might be listening, emphasizing that broadcasts are accessible to a wide audience and thus subject to content restrictions. This case established that broadcasters can be regulated for indecent speech to balance free expression with community standards.